MELBOURNE: Australia beat visitors India by 184 runs in the fourth Test, the Boxing Day Test to take 2-1 lead in the five-match series of Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2025. With the defeat India is out of the race for the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
Australia is now inches close to secure a spot in the World Test Championship final.
Chasing a 340-run target, India failed to take a solid start. India lost the first wicket on 25 runs when skipper Cummis sent its capital Rohit Sharma back to the pavilion again. He just scored 9 runs.
India’s total team were bowled out for 155 in 79.1 overs on day five.
Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant were the only batters who displayed some resistance with the bat, being the only players to cross double-digit mark.
Jaiswal and Pant batted out the entire second session to take India to 112/3 but the latter’s fall opened the doors for the home team.
Jaiswal fought a lone battle for India, scoring his second half-century of the game. He made 84 off 208 balls before a controversial caught-behind dismissal ended his innings.
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Australian skipper Pat Cummins led with three wickets in a fierce fast-bowling spell, supported by his teammates.
Earlier, Australia resumed at 228/9 and were bowled out for 234. Jasprit Bumrah starred for India with a brilliant 5/57, adding to his record for most five-wicket hauls by an Indian in Australia.
WTC Final scenario for Australia:
If Australia wins the Sydney Test against India, they would be certain of qualifying for the WTC final – in such a case, they would finish on 57.02 even if they were to go on to lose 2-0 in Sri Lanka.
A draw against India in the last match would leave them ahead of India even if they were to lose both Tests in Sri Lanka, but then Sri Lanka could go past Australia with a clean sweep.
