Australia (474 & 234) hands India (369 & 155) an 184-run defeat in the 4th Test to take a 2-1 lead in the 5-match series

[Ab Fan]

India likely to bowl out around 290-320 mark.

Australia to post 250/6 and declare.

India to bowl out at 220 again.

Match lost.

 

[mominsaigol]

Who are those people who mocked me for Steve smith?

I told you all, Steve smith and Travis head would be the stars of BGT. Believe

 

[Kianig89]

2 days of cricket ends, 25 wickets remaining , if India bats sensibly draw is possible

 

[jeeteshssaxena]

We have the batting order to make some runs, we did gift most of the wickets. I am still positive that we can make a comeback.

 

[Ab Fan]

We are way behind in this game. Should have been 2 or max 3 down.

Jadeja won’t score again while Sundar or Reddy not likely to go past 40-50 mark. 280-300 is where India likely to reach in 1st inning.

 

[mominsaigol]

We are way behind in this game. Should have been 2 or max 3 down.

Jadeja won’t score again while Sundar or Reddy not likely to go past 40-50 mark. 280-300 is where India likely to reach in 1st inning.

They'll be bowled out for 220 lol

 

[BouncerGuy]

Sundar opens up on dressing room mood after India's tumultuous final session

The final hour of play on Day 2 of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne was packed with dramatic twists and turns.

In the context of the Border-Gavaskar series and the ICC World Test Championship, the final hour of play on Day 2 at Melbourne could prove pivotal for India's fortunes.

After enduring a long grind to bowl out Australia for 474 earlier in the day, India were briefly undone by the loss of wickets of Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul early. However, the visitors seized control with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli crafting a steady 102-run partnership at the crease in the second session.

“We looked like we were in a good position to get big runs, especially when Virat Kohli and Yashasvi Jaiswal were batting,” India all-rounder Washington Sundar said at the press conference at the end of the day’s play.

Disaster, however, struck the visitors in rapid succession at the fag end of the day's play. Jaiswal was run out for 82 after a mix-up with Kohli, who appeared caught ball-watching as both batters ended up at the same end.

The setback seemed to rattle Kohli's focus. After a disciplined display of leaving deliveries outside off stump, he succumbed to his old nemesis, edging a ball while fishing outside off and falling cheaply.

From a promising 153/2, India slumped to 164/5 by stumps, losing night watchman Akash Deep for a duck as well. Rohit Sharma's side trailed Australia by 310 runs, with 111 still needed to avoid the follow-on.

Washington Sundar, however, expressed confidence in the team's ability to stage a comeback.

“We will still come back and continue to fight tomorrow morning,” Sundar added.

“Energy is very good in the dressing room. We are all positive. There's a long time in the game as well, there's three days and a lot of overs to play. It will be just about us and trying to fight really hard and get things done for the team.”

While the Border-Gavaskar series dominated headlines leading into Boxing Day, Ravichandran Ashwin's unexpected retirement after the Gabba Test also remained a major talking point.

Reflecting on his close bond with Ashwin – both hailing from the same state and sharing similar all-rounder profiles – Sundar shared how the former India star's guidance had been instrumental in preparing him for this high-stakes series.

“Preparations always happen, whether or not I am playing the game. Preparations are like bread and butter for us,” Sundar said.

“Obviously, having a lot of conversations with Ash [Ravichandran Ashwin], especially about how the conditions play in Australia gave me a lot of insight. He's come here multiple times, I think was his fifth tour with the red ball.

“We spoke a lot even before coming into this tour. Having someone of his calibre and experience share a lot of knowledge and information about Australia definitely helped me."

With three days remaining, all three results are still on the table. However, it is India who face an uphill battle to hold on to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and keep their hopes of reaching the World Test Championship Final alive.

ICC

 

[RidiculousMan]

He is done. Unfit and slow reflexes. Might have some utility in ODI’s where he can play his shots. Tests and T20’s are not his game anymore.

Rohit's slow reflexes was visible in 2023 Asia Cup and 2023 WC.

The reason he could persist in white ball Cricket is that he got to play a certain powerplay basher role on flat wickets and it paid off. But he could only do this.

He's due to retire from International Cricket for over a year now.

 

[FearlessRoar]

On Day 2 of the Boxing Day Test against Australia, young Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed for a well-played 82 after a costly mix-up with star batter Virat Kohli. Steve Smith said in the post-day press conference:

"He (Kohli) was really disciplined today, he was leaving nicely, making the bowlers come to him a bit more and scoring well through the leg side and when we went short. So, yeah, I thought we were in for a bit of a masterclass there."

"Looks like Jaiswal called yes, ran, and Virat sent him back. Simple as that. Yeah, I didn't see much more than that. It was obviously a really good partnership to break that one. And then obviously get the two more wickets. It was a huge last hour for us. So, yeah, that was a big play in the context of the day, I suppose."

"Look, he's a class player, we know that. Obviously, he played really well in Perth for that 100. And he looked really good today, I thought, 'Jeez' (Jesus), he's in for a good one here. And it was probably the first ball. I think he actually hardly played at on that 5th-6th stump line. But fortunately, you know, Barrell (Boland's nickname) got one to sort of straighten probably off the line on that 5th-6th stump and he probably was one of the only ones he played at. So, yeah, I was fortunate to catch the edge,"

 

[sweep_shot]

Aussies are looking good to go up 2-1.

Always lovely to see India being on the back foot like this.

 

[The Bald Eagle]

@The Bald Eagle @BouncerGuy are you watching jaiswal batting??

He can hit six in proper way unlike some Tulla players . I hope you understand now .

So bad man, your king robbed him from century.

 

[Champ_Pal]

If India can somehow play another 50 overs, they will score 300. Just enough to save themselves from embarrassment as well as giving them a 1% chance of staging a great comeback.

 

[Mamoon]

Reality check for delusional Indian fans who thought MCG and Sydney would suit their team. Beautiful.

 

[GLORY OF '92]

Reality check for delusional Indian fans who thought MCG and Sydney would suit their team. Beautiful.

I don't see anyone beating Australia in Australia for the next decade. The weak spell of Australian cricket between 2017 and 2021 is well and truly over.

Konstas will be the new Warner and they will continue to dominate world cricket.

 

[mominsaigol]

I don't see anyone beating Australia in Australia for the next decade. The weak spell of Australian cricket between 2017 and 2021 is well and truly over.

Konstas will be the new Warner and they will continue to dominate world cricket.

Sam Konstas is just 19 as well.

The fact that he can play for 17 to 20 years is also what makes him very scary.

I don't think I've ever seen a 19 year old just attack bumrah like that without a care in the world. Solid technique too.

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Mitchell Marsh has become a liability now, time to drop this nepo guy

 

[aboveandbeyond]

I don't see anyone beating Australia in Australia for the next decade. The weak spell of Australian cricket between 2017 and 2021 is well and truly over.

Konstas will be the new Warner and they will continue to dominate world cricket.

Not sure about that. You got Steve Smith, Khawaja, Starc, Hazlewood, Marsh, Lyon all of a similirish age.

I think we will see a visible transition in performances when majority of these retire Sooner or later.

 

[GLORY OF '92]

Not sure about that. You got Steve Smith, Khawaja, Starc, Hazlewood, Marsh, Lyon all of a similirish age.

I think we will see a visible transition in performances when majority of these retire Sooner or later.

Let's see. Signs are that the system is very strong and they will manage it very well.

 

[jnaveen1980]

I don't see anyone beating Australia in Australia for the next decade. The weak spell of Australian cricket between 2017 and 2021 is well and truly over.

Konstas will be the new Warner and they will continue to dominate world cricket.

That was not weak phase actually. They beat everyone at home except India. They had high percentage of home wins

 

[gazza619]

I don't see anyone beating Australia in Australia for the next decade. The weak spell of Australian cricket between 2017 and 2021 is well and truly over.

Konstas will be the new Warner and they will continue to dominate world cricket.

Aussie dominance at home is nothing new.

One knock (good or bad) by any kid is not enough to predict the future. Long way to go.

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Mitchell Marsh has become a liability now, time to drop this nepo guy

its better to send him at #3 position where he has already done well..

 

[GLORY OF '92]

That was not weak phase actually. They beat everyone at home except India. They had high percentage of home wins

Exactly only India and SA have beaten them more than once since 2000 I believe. They didn't do well in ICC tournaments during that period aswell until 2021 WC.

 

[GLORY OF '92]

Aussie dominance at home is nothing new.

One knock (good or bad) by any kid is not enough to predict the future. Long way to go.

You can recognise the arrival of a superstar.

Jaiswal

Konstas

Ayub

These 3 will dominate World Cricket until 2035.

 

[The Bald Eagle]

its better to send him at #3 position where he has already done well..

I think he needs to bat like Gilchrist for Australia at no 6

 

[jnaveen1980]

If Pujara had played and done what he did in last 2 tours scoreline would have been different. I was always skeptical about this side that has zero consolidstors. Rahul did somewhat. But pujara played 1200 balls in a single series. Australia was super lucky they left out pujara and Backed Rohit. Rahane the captain is vastly superior. Australia is facing possibly the worst Indian batting line up in history They should be embarrassed that they are yet to win this series.

 

[gazza619]

You can recognise the arrival of a superstar.

Jaiswal

Konstas

Ayub

These 3 will dominate World Cricket until 2035.

Jaiswal and Ayub and actually done well more than once (both home and way). All the best to Konstas but the kid still has to prove.

 

[GLORY OF '92]

If Pujara had played and done what he did in last 2 tours scoreline would have been different. I was always skeptical about this side that has zero consolidstors. Rahul did somewhat. But pujara played 1200 balls in a single series. Australia was super lucky they left out pujara and Backed Rohit. Rahane the captain is vastly superior. Australia is facing possibly the worst Indian batting line up in history They should be embarrassed that they are yet to win this series.

True only Jaiswal and Pant would possibly make an Indian Test batting top 7 in the past 24 years from this team.

 

[jnaveen1980]

News coming in. BCCI is going to have a word with Rohit about his test future. Wish they had made Ashwin the captain kicked out Rohit

 

[BakuGM]

Even though I know Shubman Gill wouldn't have done much more than Rohit its a travesty to drop Gill and not Rohit....

 

[aboveandbeyond]

That was not weak phase actually. They beat everyone at home except India. They had high percentage of home wins

Thr decade after the Millennium was Aussies real era of dominace at home . No one beat them.

 

[Devadwal]

I don't see anyone beating Australia in Australia for the next decade. The weak spell of Australian cricket between 2017 and 2021 is well and truly over.

Konstas will be the new Warner and they will continue to dominate world cricket.

Slightly error" weak against india only, they won every series during that period .

Jaiswal and Ayub and actually done well more than once (both home and way). All the best to Konstas but the kid still has to prove.

What has Ayub done in test cricket??

 

[Devadwal]

News coming in. BCCI is going to have a word with Rohit about his test future. Wish they had made Ashwin the captain kicked out Rohit

What's the use now when they can't dropped from this important series?

Still this series is alive so hopefully he will dropped from next test.

 

[gazza619]

What has Ayub done in test cricket??

I agree Ayub needs to prove himself in red ball. I was simply talking about scores in international cricket.

 

[Kianig89]

Kohli lost all the respect today, even through dug out he acted like a street boy

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Nathan Lyon reflects on Virat Kohli-Yashasvi Jaiswal run out, he said:

“It was probably one of the best barbecues I’ve seen, to be honest with you. It came out of the blue. They were doing it pretty easy out there… pressure does funny things. Silly run-outs are coach killers, aren’t they? It was pretty special,”

 

[RehanG]

Pitch looks pretty flat.

Jaddu and Pant playing with ease.

 

[kron]

Even though I don't rate Gill the so called model but I think on this flat as a pancake pitch I think he would have made merry?

@Vikram1989
@Devadwal

 

[Ab Fan]

Pitch has no demons but if India has to post a good total, need to wary of few things:-

1. Avoid bizarre dismissals and run outs.
2. Avoid rash shots
3. Avoid lapse of concentration

 

[kron]

Pitch has no demons but if India has to post a good total, need to wary of few things:-

1. Avoid bizarre dismissals and run outs.
2. Avoid rash shots
3. Avoid lapse of concentration

Weirdly I think Gill would have done well here on this flat pitch lmao

 

[Ab Fan]

Even though I don't rate Gill the so called model but I think on this flat as a pancake pitch I think he would have made merry?

@Vikram1989
@Devadwal

Yup, he would have done well here. Good batsman on flat pitches. He got a few tons when surface was batting friendly, it might have helped him in next test too.

 

[Ab Fan]

Jadeja plays relatively very low risk cricket, just the running between wickets with him is a concern as always.

 

[kron]

Pitch is so flat

Why the hell did rohit take 40 overs to bring on spinners lmao?

Oh wait don't answer

Rhetorical question

 

[ethan hunt]

Jadeja very lucky with that LBW shout.

 

[Ab Fan]

There is enough for Lyon though. Jadeja not convincing vs Lyon, can get out anytime.

 

[SpiritOf1903]

This is looking like a draw. Runs to be had

 

[sweep_shot]

Pant is out.

IND - 191/6.

Still trailing by 283 runs.

 

[Ab Fan]

Rash shot and Pant out.

 

[sweep_shot]

Pant is out.

IND - 191/6.

Still trailing by 283 runs.

Aussies should enforce the follow-on if they can.

Forecast showed rain for Saturday.

 

[neonoir]

Motu jr brainfade

 

[sweep_shot]

Boland should play regularly. I think he is a better option than Hazlewood.

 

[Romali_rotti]

Nice work there by Pant.. lol what the hell

 

[Inswing]

Pant is a decent bat but this was really pathetic.

 

[kron]

wth is wrong with indian players???
like brainless shots like this. so stupid?
were they born in an accident.
i just dont get it.

dumb captain breeds dumb players?
low iq players?

 

[kron]

so easy to bat lmao
so dumb
dumb players. all round. i just cant fathom this crap

there is literally a fielder there.

 

[Ab Fan]

Pant has thrown his wicket and Jadeja’s mind is freezed completely with run outs scarce and lack of clarity.

A 180-200 run deficit is inevitable.

 

[Rajdeep]

Absolute village level shot from Pant

 

[kron]

boland is a good bowler. keeps it tight. 130 to 138 pace
is accurate
like stuart clark kind of.

and is good on flat wickets i feel.

 

[Rajdeep]

so easy to bat lmao
so dumb
dumb players. all round. i just cant fathom this crap

there is literally a fielder there.

Yes nothing happening in the pitch and its a flat deck. There is no measure of stupidity from Pant.

 

[kron]

Pant has thrown his wicket and Jadeja’s mind is freezed completely with run outs scarce and lack of clarity.

A 180-200 run deficit is inevitable.

pitch has zero demons lmao. useless indian bats

 

[kron]

can anyone explain what happened between gambo rohit and kohli??

what was that pep talk

 

[kron]

man starc has greyed so much at 35. thats crazy.
lost a lot of hair too.

 

[kron]

best looking player right now in the world would be saqib mohammed

second best i would say is starcyyy

 

[Rajdeep]

C'mmon Reddy bhai...tu hi hai last hope.

 

[kron]

india need to make sure they back rana prasidh kuldeep sen etc.

playu will 3 4 proper bowlers. groom next gen

we need to go back to the days where we had the best attack prior to 2022.

 

[kron]

C'mmon Reddy bhai...tu hi hai last hope.

sundar bhai to bhi hai.

 

[sweep_shot]

200 is up for India.

203/6.

 

[Ab Fan]

Reddy bhai needs to contribute with bat. He is a batsman who bowl part time.

Jadeja and Sundar have played bigger role than him with bowl.

 

[Rajdeep]

sundar bhai to bhi hai.

Bumrah and Siraj is also there

 

[kron]

handsome nitish reddy doing good.

 

[kron]

cummins starc hazlewood the handsome trio from aus
nitish gill the handsome duo from india.

junaid was onto something tbh. good looking or fit muscular looking players are what we need to market the sport. no fatso like rohit and he sucks anyway. pant is an exception.

 

[aboveandbeyond]

Reddy has hugh potential. All-rounders of his skill set are like Gold dust.

 

[kron]

this looks like a nice pindi type aaattaa pitch. flat like a chappati. yet our dumb low iq players threw it away with batting

@BouncerGuy

 

[kron]

h

Reddy has hugh potential. All-rounders of his skill set are like Gold dust.

his bowling can only be good on seaming tracks where there is swing.

needs to up his pace slightly.

 

[kron]

starc averaging and outstanding 62 this match. so far

 

[kron]

pant has been a disappointent this bgt series.

 

[kron]

someone shut ricky up. his voice sounds like a granny. god so annoying.
overrated batsman too. lucky to be in the same team as mcg and warne. for tests.
dont care for odi.

 

[aboveandbeyond]

h

his bowling can only be good on seaming tracks where there is swing.

needs to up his pace slightly.

He's 21, ample time to work on core conditioning which will allow him to bowl quicker

 

[kron]

and jadejaaaa goesss.

 

[kron]

wth lmao most docile pitch. ?????
and getting out lmao hahah endia

 

[aboveandbeyond]

I can't remember such a poor Indian batting line up, specially the top order, when we witnessed a top order of Sehwag, dravid, laxman Tendulkar growing up. CHALK AND CHEESE.