Melbourne: Australia took an incredible seven wickets after tea on the fifth day to win the fourth Test against India by 184 runs to take a 2-1 lead in the series and book a place in the final match in Sydney.
India were on the back of Yashvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant’s partnership throughout the middle session but crumbled to be bowled out for 155 in front of a huge crowd of 74,362 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Australian captain Pat Cummins and fellow fast bowler Scott Boland took three wickets each, with spinner Nathan Lyon taking two wickets in dramatic fashion on a final day marred by controversy over the use of the Decision Review System (DRS).
Australia’s Mitchell Starc said, “Great way to end the week. I think it’s been a fantastic five days of cricket.”
“There’s always been confidence in the group. I think that’s been a hallmark of this group over the years – that composure and just going with the flow and adapting to what’s thrown at us.”
India were 112 for three when they resumed after lunch, with Jaiswal and Pant tasked with setting up well and putting the game away. However, after showing unusual batting composure during the middle session, Pant bounced back to be dismissed for 30.
He took a hard swing at a ball from part-time spinner Travis Head and the wrong pull ended up being bowled by Mitchell Marsh at long-on.
The wicket ended the 88-run partnership and led to the collapse.
Bolan hit the deck with renewed vigor and caught Ravindra Jadeja for two runs with a ball that went off the pitch and found an outside edge.
Steve Smith then took a brilliant catch at slip to remove all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, who dismissed Nathan Lyon for one run.
The controversy started when Jaiswal pulled on a short ball from Cummins, making a big appeal behind the catch, and was quickly reviewed by the Australian captain when he was denied.
Replays showed a clear deviation from the bat but no evidence of a nick on “Ultra Edge” technology.
The TV umpire decided the deflection was enough, though, and instructed field umpire Joel Wilson to overturn his decision.
Jaiswal initially refused to leave the crease, prompting sections of the crowd to chant, “Cheater! Cheater!”
‘fight’
Akash Deep was then dismissed for seven, again on review, caught off his pads with a thin edge by Head off Boland. Australia cited the not-out decision and this time “Ultra Edge” showed a healthy nick.
That left Australia with the near-impossible task of stumping tailenders Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Siraj for nearly 40 minutes.
Both fell for a duck, with Leone sealing the win by dismissing Siraj lbw.
Indian captain Rohit Sharma said it was quite disappointing. “It’s not like we went with the intention of not fighting. We wanted to fight till the end but unfortunately we couldn’t.”
“If you look at the overall Test match, we had our chances, we had our chances. We just didn’t capitalize on them and we let Australia back into the game when we were 90 for six.”
In the morning session, Cummins struck twice in an over and left-arm Starc dismissed Virat Kohli cheaply to rattle India. Before Jaiswal and Pant’s partnership got the visitors excited.
After Australia were bowled out for an early 234, Cummins ended a careful 25-run partnership between Jaiswal and skipper Rohit Sharma when Rohit was dismissed for 9 when the out-of-form opener drove straight to Marsh at gully.
Five balls later, Cummins took his second catch when KL Rahul dismissed Usman Khawaja at slip to the delight of the home fans.
Four days after his mid-pitch shoulder clash with Australia’s 19-year-old debutant Sam Konstas, Kohli marched to a mixture of cheers and cheers from rival supporters.
He was dismissed for five in an attempt to drive Starc, hitting Khawaja at slip.
Bumrah had earlier bowled Lyon for 41 to wrap up Australia’s second innings as India’s pace master took 5-57 in the match and nine wickets overall.
Bumrah has now taken five or better wickets in 13 Test innings and 30 wickets in the series at an average of 12.83.
His pacer comrade Siraj finished with 3-70 in an impressive comeback after going 122 not out in the first innings.
The massive five-day crowd took the total attendance in Melbourne to 373,691, the record for a Test match in Australia.