India came up with a splendid performance to tame Australia in the Boxing Day Test for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). On Day 4 (Tuesday), India scripted an eight-wicket win, as it allowed the side to level the four-Test series 1-1, having lost the opening day-night Test in Adelaide last week.
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Winning the toss, Australia had elected to bat first before being bundled out for 195, courtesy Jasprit Bumrah's 456. India scored 326 and earned a 131-run lead in the first innings, thanks to a centurion innings form Ajinkya Rahane and Ravindra Jadeja's 57.
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Resuming at the overnight score of 1336, it was the pair of Cameron Green and Pat Cummins, who ensured to take control of the innings for as long as they could. While both provided a 57-run stand for the seventh wicket, it was at the score of 156 when Cummins fell for 22 to Bumrah, caught by Mayank Agarwal at slips.
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As Mitchell Starc walked in, Green seemed in firm control of the innings. Nonetheless, 21 runs later, Green handed Ravindra Jadeja a catch in the mid-wicket, off a short-pitched delivery from seamer Mohammed Siraj, as the former could manage 45.
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Just eight runs later, at the score of 185, Nathan Lyon departed for mere three, after attempting a pull of Siraj and gloving it to Rishabh Pant, behind the stumps. As the lunch break was delayed by half an hour, India utilised the opportunity to get rid of the final wicket, in the form of Josh Hazlewood. He was bowled by spinner Ravichandran Ashwin for just 10, as Australia could manage 200, with India needing 70 runs to win.
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For the Indian bowlers, Siraj was the star, with figures of 337, while all the five bowlers contributed by taking wickets. Meanwhile, pacer Umesh Yadav, who had injured his calf muscle on Monday, did not take the field.
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As India came out to bat post lunch, it was off to a shaky start, losing opener Mayank Agarwal for mere five to Starc, after being caught by skipper Tim Paine at the slips, with 16 runs on the board. He was quickly followed by Cheteshwar Pujara, just three runs later, who fell for only three to Cummins, after being caught by Green in the same region.
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Nonetheless, it was then the pair of opener Shubman Gill and Rahane, who batted out until the end and secured a comfortable eight-wicket win, despite an early scare. As for the Aussie bowlers, Starc was the top performer, having claimed four wickets in the entire game.Brief scores: Australia 195 and 200 (Green 45; Siraj 337) lost to India 326 and 702 (Gill 35; Starc 120) by eight wickets.
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