What seemed destined to be a classic end to the Boxing Day Test turned into a disheartening collapse for India as Australia delivered a disciplined and fiery final session at the MCG, clinching a 184-run victory to take a 2-1 lead in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT).

The defeat leaves India’s path to the ICC World Test Championship final dependent on other teams, though a win in Sydney could still allow Rohit Sharma’s men to retain the coveted trophy. Meanwhile, Australia have the opportunity to cement their place in the WTC final with a 3-1 series win, following South Africa’s qualification after their gripping victory over Pakistan.

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India’s hopes had been raised by Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant, who stitched together an 88-run stand, bringing India into the final session with seven wickets in hand. However, Travis Head broke through, triggering a dramatic collapse as India lost their last seven wickets for just 34 runs.

Adding to the drama was a controversial dismissal when Jaiswal, after a valiant 84, was adjudged caught behind off Pat Cummins via DRS. Despite no snicko evidence, third umpire Sharfuddoula Saikat ruled a visible deflection, ending Jaiswal’s fightback. His departure left India’s tailenders with the herculean task of facing an increasingly confident Australian attack.

The turning point came when Scott Boland dismissed Akash Deep early in his new spell, confirmed by an Australian review. Shortly after, Jasprit Bumrah was taken at slips, and Mohammed Siraj’s LBW to Nathan Lyon sealed the game, igniting jubilant celebrations from the Australians.

India’s batting woes were evident again, with the top order faltering. Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, and Virat Kohli failed to provide stability, leaving the middle and lower order with an uphill battle.

Earlier, Australia added six quick runs in the morning before Jasprit Bumrah claimed his 30th wicket of the series, showcasing his dominance with another five-wicket haul. The Indian pacer now eyes the record for most wickets in a series by a visiting bowler, set by England’s Maurice Tate in 1924-25.

Brief Scores:
Australia 474 (Steve Smith 140, Marnus Labuschagne 72; Jasprit Bumrah 4-99) and 234 (Labuschagne 70, Bumrah 5-57)
beat
India 369 (Nitish Reddy 114, Yashasvi Jaiswal 82; Scott Boland 3-57) and 155 (Jaiswal 84; Pat Cummins 3-28, Boland 3-39) by 184 runs.