#AUSvIND : Melbourne : Day 5 🏏 🇦🇺 2-1.

Final Day : 

Enthralling contest was on the cards.

Target for 🇮🇳 India : was  340.

Minimum 92 overs, to get that. 

🇦🇺  Australia were clear  favorites at start of the day with runs on the board.

Draw is next and then 

🇮🇳 Indian win is last on the cards.

Updates - of the final day play : 

Australian team : 10 players 30+ and 1 teenager: Can Indian youngsters tire them out ???

Australia win by 184 runs , with almost 13 overs to go.

Australia 2-1 with Sydney test to go.

3 top wickets in first session

: Rohit, KL Rahul,  Virat.

 and 7 in the last - against relentless Aussie attack : Especially wicket of Rishabh Pant to not even a part time bowler Travis Head- on a Ordinary...very loose short ball .

You can't expect India to win with Big names batters' big  failure. No point in blaming just Rishabh Pant or Yashasvi Jaiswal for loss.

Konstas,  Smith , Labuschagne , Cummins and last pair batting in second Australian innings cost India the match.

Apart from 1st day 1st session Ordinary Indian bowling and No support to Bumrah in any way in 1st innings. Plus few fielding lapses on day four .so the 

Result : Australia 2 - India 1.

( Just thank Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar and Jasprit Bumrah ..to take the game upto last hour.)

Final session of the final Day: 

At start  - Australians desperate for last 7 Indian wickets. 

Banking on the last 12 overs of second new ball.

In the end they are hardly going to need it with last pair batting. 

Lyon does it..Siraj lbw 0.

Bumrah gone on 0 ...catch carried in the slips at last...EXCELLENT catch by Steve Smith.

Boland excellent with 78 over old ball. 

154/9 .

We have to feel here for Bumrah...After all those 9 wickets...flat out ..bowled his heart out ...

And now we are expecting him to play out 15 overs.

Bad pad catch review by Australia- successful,  

Boland strikes in 1st over of new spell again...

150/8: 15.5 more overs.

Akashdeep 7 ( 17 ).

150/7 : 75.1 : 16.5 more overs : 3 Wickets.

Australia  almost definite 2-1 on the cards ..120 balls / 3 wickets. 

Can't expect..

Akashdeep + Washington Sundar 

To save this.

So...India down to just last 3 wickets 21.1 overs more . 

Pat Cummins slow bouncer to Jaiswal..

Off the gloves : Not Out by On field Umpire...but DRS clearly showed deflection off the gloves without any murmur.

So 3rd Umpire makes the decision on visual deflection : " I have seen the deflection. "

Yashasvi Jaiswal ct Carey B Cummins 84 ( 208) : 8 fours ...

Well played Yashasvi Jaiswal..Anyway.

150 more balls can India survive....???

Third Umpire override On field Umpire decision on below visuals:

Lyon looking more n more dangerous with 5 catchers around. 

Yashasvi Jaiswal + Washington Sundar looking to survive last 28 overs.

Overs left 28 : Wickets 4.

3 Wickets for just 9 runs off @ 6 overs. 

Nathan Lyon does it : 

India looking down the barrel again...just 4 wickets left.

Nitish Kumar Reddy gone on 1 off 5 : 130/6 : 63.2

Nitish Kumar Reddy...1st innings saviour is in..

India desperately hoping for a big partnership, with 30 overs to go and minimum 12 of them with second new ball. 

Jadeja gone on 2 extra bounce by bit fresh Boland . 127/5 : 62.2 overs. 

India in trouble...5 more wickets for Australia now.

Can India SAVE...DRAW this ? 

Equation at 10.20 am IST = 126/4.

214 runs : 30 overs : 6 wickets : RR 7.09.

Yashasvi Jaiswal 73*, Jadeja 2*

Australian ploy with Travis Head bowling worked : You Beauty..Captain Pat Cummins.

Rishabh Pant holes out at long - on boundary for 30 ( 104 ) : 2 ×4s.

Last most important Turning point...Australia foot in the door..!

121/4 : 58.4 Overs : Jadeja in.

India take the blows and keep the fight 👊 

ONE SESSION TO GO! 🚨 

2nd Session: Post - Lunch: 

At Tea : 

Session ends without any success to Australia so...Indians hoping to save the match. India scored 79/0.

Equation at 10.00 am IST = 

228 runs : 38 overs : 7 wickets : RR 6.0

112/3 : 54 overs 

Yashasvi Jaiswal 63*(159),Rishabh Pant 28*(87).

Partnership 79* =  27.5  overs =169 balls.

Equation at 9.30 am IST = 

233 runs : 40 overs : 7 wickets : RR 6.00

104/3 : 50 Ov: Minimum 42 more.

Yashasvi Jaiswal 60*(148),Rishabh Pant 16*(74).

Partnership 71* off 142 ...EXCELLENT. 

100/3 : 48.1 Ov.

Lyon making Yashasvi miss a lot.

47 overs gone 45 more to go : 97/3.

Pat Cummins excellent so far ...13.3.19.2

is back. 

86/3 : 40 Ov. 53 runs in 1st hour. 

Yashasvi Jaiswal 52* (129) : 7 fours. 

Rishabh Pant 14* ( 39).

Lyon is back Jaiswal sweeps for 4, but ball turning now.

Equation: 

275 runs : 58 overs : 7 wickets : RR 4.74.

Yashasvi Jaiswal 36*(106),Rishabh Pant 9*(28)

Great Entertainment...always: 

Batting quite freely now with ball  more than 30 overs old.

Australian review lbw off Starc vs Yashasvi Jaiswal on 31 off 97 : 54/3 : 30.5 ov. 

Hit on back leg....Umpire's call saves him.

Started playing bit freely now.

 50/3 : 30 Ov .

Rishabh Pant opens with 4 after 10 balls.

Just 1 four upto 27.3  overs then Yashasvi Jaiswal hits 2 in a row.

1st Session:  Pre- Lunch:

Advantage Australia 

Excellent bowling Australian pacers.

Can India SAVE the match..????

Top 3 : Rohit 9 , KL Rahul 0 & Virat 5 GONE.

Equation: 

307 runs : 65 overs : 7 wickets : RR 4.72.

Indian Batting :  

33/3 : 26.1

Virat falls to Starc: 5 (29 ).

Angled ball outside off stump, Virat chase in vain for a big drive .

Another ball on the fifth-sixth stump line, another attempt at drive, another dismissal. 🇮🇳 Virat Kohli has displayed a similar theme on this tour and it continued at MCG 🇦🇺.

31/2 : 25 Ov : Lyon introduced. 

Yashasvi Jaiswal very watchful so far.

14*(83).

310 runs : 70 overs : 8 wickets : RR 4.43.

Australia in control immediately after drinks at the start of second hour. 

26/2 : 20 ov. 🇦🇺  Need 8 more wickets to win.

Captain Pat Cummins double blow in over number 17 : W . . . . W 

25/2 : Virat in with Yashasvi 12* (56).

Indian captain throws away the hard work of an hour..Gone.

Are we seeing the end of Rohit Sharma's Test cricket?

1st blow to India by Pat Cummins : 

Rohit ct Marsh b Cummins 9 (40) : 25/1 : 16.1.

KL Rahul joins Yashasvi Jaiswal on 12 and 

oh..gone for 0 on 5th ball : 25/2 : 17 Ov.

1st hour :  22/0 : 15 Ov.

Cautious..Test match innings start by India.

Need 318 more minimum 77 overs, to win. 

17/0 : 10 Overs. 

Yashasvi Jaiswal hits first four on the last ball of 5th over. 

Rohit off the mark on 14th ball .

Indian batters prepared to grind .

Bumrah clean bowled Nathan Lyon on 41 to get another fifer , after 7 runs addition to the overnight score. 

That's 30 wickets for the series (and counting). 🏏🇮🇳

Jasprit Bumrah continues to dominate the Indian attack, taking a 5fa in the second innings and 9 wickets across the entire Boxing Day Test.

Meanwhile in SA:

South Africa secured its #WTC25 final berth after beating Pakistan by two wickets. 

South Africa secure their spot in the #WTC25 Final but the battle for the second spot remains open 🔥

#AUSvIND : Melbourne : Day 4

Day 4 End : 

11 Indian Lions arrested by just one N Lyon.

Very very interestingly poised match.

All 3 ( even 4 ) results  still possible .

But hosts are having a bit upper hand,  with target beyond 300 now. Last 4 wickets added 137* runs and there by Team India lost the grip on the match.

At Stumps : Australia Lead : 333/9.

From 91/6 to 228/9 : Excellent Recovery. 

200 Test wickets for Jasprit Bumrah 🔥

No one in the history of Test cricket has reached the milestone with a better average than Bumrah’s 19.56!

Australia pressing for challenging total , bit beyond India to get ahead 2-1, in the series on day 5. Can India restrict and think of turning the tide in favour? Was the question at start of the day . Both teams fought fierce battle throughout the day, to gain control.

The 10th-wicket 100+ balls partnership between Lyon and Boland is now 55 runs 😯 has given India a great concern.

( Lyon survived during last over - Caught Rahul ..but on No-Ball by Jasprit Bumrah).

From a 4-11 collapse, to a 55-run unbroken last-wicket partnership, quite a rollercoaster day 4 at MCG.

3rd Session: Post Tea : 

228/9 : 82 Overs. 

Lyon giving his best : excellent last wicket partnership 50+

Jadeja gets Dangerous Cummins on 41.

Starc run out 5 : 156/8 : 58.1 Ov. 

DSP Siraj gets Labuschagne on 70 : 148/7 - 55.5 Ov. 

2nd Session: Post - Lunch: at Tea : Lead 240/6 .

Labuschagne and Cummins partnership on.

Boom Boom Bumrah rocks Australia: 

4 Wickets so far .Crosses his 200.

Siraj too finds rhythm got Smith. 

91/6. : 35.6 

1st Session:  Pre- Lunch: 

Super super ..Excellent pace bowling exhibition by Bumrah , Akashdeep and Siraj.

Just 53/2 off 25 overs.

But Australia ahead by 158 for just 2 wickets.

Most Dangerous Steve Smith in +  Labuschagne.

Siraj gets through Khwaja on 21 bat-pad. : 43/2.

Australia well placed 148 ahead : 19 Ov.

India review lbw vs Labuschagne on 10 . Unlucky as clipping stumps : Umpire's call at 41/1 : 17.3 ov. Review retained.

Midway morning session at Drinks: 

Australia 137 ahead : 32/1 : 13 Ov.

Cautious batting by Australia. 

Indians not much lucky inspite of excellent opening bowling spells by Bumrah and Akashdeep. Though Khwaja was lucky on 2 , difficult drop by Yashasvi Jaiswal in leg trap.

𝐉𝐚𝐬𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐭 𝐁𝐮𝐦𝐫𝐚𝐡 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚 𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐫! 🔥

In his 4th over, gets his 199th.

Champion bowler strikes back to erase 1st innings memory..!

Finds a bat-pad gap to hit top of middle stump,

 strikes with a beauty ✨🤌 😍

Sam Konstas is bowled out for 8 runs and now

Bumrah asks crowd to cheer up. 

🇦🇺 - 20/1 : 6.3 ov.

Pitch is excellent for batting.So Australia is  expected to put up a good total again in second innings too , to challenge India and wrap up on , late fourth maybe and fifth day to make the series 2-1.

Indian 1st Innings: 

Nitish Kumar Reddy has been the top-scorer for India in four of the five all-out innings in this series. 

Only two men in Test cricket stood out as the top-scorer on four occasions in their first six innings before Reddy: Sunil Gavaskar and Harry Brook.

Reddy is also the first player to be top-scorer four times in his first six innings while batting at No. 7 or lower in men's Tests. (espncricinfo)

The final wicket stand doesn't last long ,for India added 11 runs in the morning, before Lyon got Nitish Kumar Reddy. 

An exceptional partnership of 127 runs between Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar guides India to a total of 369 in the first innings.

Reddy and quite steady: 

His father walked so Nitish could run 👑

#AUSvIND : Melbourne

 Day 3 : 

Nitish Kumar Reddy ...!!!

Well a young Indian star is born at 21 :

on Historic MCG, Melbourne : 

Century at no.8,  1st for India.

Highlights: As it happened on Day 3 : 

Just after a short while after Nitish Kumar Reddy Century...bad light stopped play. 

India 358/9: Nitish 105* : 116 Overs: 116 behind, at the end of day 3.

The moment: 

Nitish 99 Vs Boland and yess ..he lifts 3rd ball of the over mid-on for 4...103 off 171, with 10 fours and a six.

Well  new young star is born .he is 21.

Nitish Kumar Reddy on strike : 👆🏻

Siraj to face..survive 3 balls : Pat Cummins. 

Yess he does it. 

Bumrah gone 0 off 3 : 350/9. 

Nitish Kumar Reddy 99* (169) : 9×4,1×6

Nitish denying singles ..on strike, takes 2 on last ball, Bumrah press for 2nd, Nitish not happy.

Oh..Lyon breaks the record partnership. Washington Sundar caught in slip on 50 : 348/8 : 112 ov. Trail 126.

Bumrah in.

So often..wicket after drinks break.

Washington Sundar 50* (161) : 1×4.

348/8.

What a fightback : Partnership 127 (285).

347/7 : 111 Ov :  at Drinks. 

Aussies chocking runs at present just 13 off last 10 overs. 

328/7 : 100 Overs ,  India 146 behind. 

Australian bowlers , bit better now post interruption and tea time, with Indians bit desperate to score free n fast, especially Nitish..bit missing outside off stump...chasing bit wider deliveries... understandably bit more eager as is on 87* now..133 8×4 ,1×6..is a top scoreer in Indian innings again...while batting at number 8.

Last session resumes. 

Stoppage..Delay due to bad light. 

Nitish Kumar Reddy is really READY for

 batting order promotion..! 

Yess..the fight is onn...by 

Hungry young Indians.

At Tea : 

326/7 : Nitish 85* n Sundar 40*: 97ov.

Partnership 105* off 195 balls .

Interesting fact : 

Nitish Kumar Reddy actually started as a top order batsman. The youngster from Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh even scored 400 ( 441 I think) at under 16 level. 

Has India fallen with Rishabh Pant ?***

With Border Gavaskar Trophy at 1-1.

Nope...read below..

After a long time youngsters win the session for Team India: 82 runs n 0 wicket in 24 overs. 

Both had started playing comfortably..effortlessly..but bad light stopped play 15/20 minutes before tea time. 

Second new ball threat almost nullified now with 17 overs gone...

Even Melbourne Sun was unable to bear the shining pair of Nitish  Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar...hides behind clouds 😉

Partnership 105* off 195 balls .

Bad light stops play...no harm early Tea taken.

So at Tea : 326/7 : Nitish 85* n Sundar 40*: 97ov.

Australian bowlers looking bit tired ..frustrated and listless now...

Wow...Partnership 100+ Trail 150.

You Beauty...Nitish Kumar Reddy 85*,  with a blow in the armpit.

and Washington Sundar 39*  =  103 off 188 balls.

Pair is looking more n more confident and aggressive now...

Nitish 77* n Washington 39*.

300/7 : 91.3 : New ball well negated..so far.

Wow..Nitish 62* n Washington 33* : 294/7.

1st hour post lunch belonged to Young Indians.

50 runs partnership and no wicket. 

The fight is on..!

Follow-on is avoided.: 275/7 : 84 Ov.

Even though Australia was unlikely to enforce.

Wow...Nitish Kumar Reddy gets to 50 with a 4 off Starc , off  81 balls with 4 fours and 1 six off Nathan Lyon, followed by 50+ partnership. 

New ball due and taken immediately, by Starc. 

261/7 : 80 Overs, still 213 behind. 

Nitish Kumar Reddy 44*,Washington Sundar 18*.

With ever dangerous Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja's wicket morning session advantage snatched again by host Australia. 

At Lunch : 244/7 : 73 overs. 

With impressive Nitish Kumar Reddy 40* off 61 and Washington Sundar 5 off 27.

India scored 80/2  in 27 overs.

221/7 : 64.5 : Still trail by 253 runs.

Jadeja lbw Lyon 17 off 51 , 3 fours. 

203/6 : 58 Ov. Jadeja 10 (38), Nitish 11 (13)

38 runs off the 1st hour. 

Australians kept it very tight. 

Nitish Kumar Reddy makes a confident start, with a 4th ball boundry off Lyon. 

***After 50 minutes of play Rishabh fails to direct his falling scoop , skied to third man  instead of fine leg ,on 28 to Boland. Just 10th over in the morning. 

191/6  : 55.4 overs.

Still trail by 283 runs.

History: Indians to score a Boxing Day Test Century at MCG!🥊💯🏟️

ViratKohli AjinkyaRahane SachinTendulkar CheteshwarPujara VirenderSehwag

For 2024 : 

Can Rishabh Pant ,  Ravindra Jadeja , Washington Sundar or Nitish Kumar Reddy join this list..? 

𝙅𝙝𝙪𝙠𝙚𝙜𝙖 𝙣𝙖𝙝𝙞, 𝙧𝙪𝙠𝙚𝙜𝙖 𝙣𝙖𝙝𝙞! 🔥💪

Rising to the occasion for 🇮🇳? Nitish is Ever-Reddy! 💯

 #ToughestRivalry #BorderGavaskarTrophy

𝐏𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐩𝐚 🤝 𝐁𝐚𝐚𝐡𝐮𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐢 ❤️

Nitish Kumar Reddy promoting movies like no other with his iconic celebrations! 🎬🔥

#AUSvIND Melbourne Day 2

Day 2 :

India looking down the barrel.

Yashasvi Jaiswal runout : 

turns the match momentum completely again in host's favor.

Turning point of the series result..???

Another : Disappointing day for Indian fans. 

Another good test cricket day dominated by Australia. India still 310 behind, Top 4 gone.

Australia grabbed momentum with three late wickets on Day Two. 

India : 151/1 to 159/5 in four overs. 

164 / 5  : 46 overs.

Rishabh Pant 6* with Jadeja 4* .

Nitish , Washington Sundar, Bumrah to follow. 

3rd Session: 

Mini collapse in last 40 minutes or so.

Boland sends night watchman Akashdeep back on 0 : 159/5 : 44.3 overs. 

Virat too many things to replenish now : From image- tarnished- stupid  shoulder barge to Yashasvi Jaiswal runout. 

Must repay with a big big hundred. 

But Noooo.. Virat Kohli gone chasing wide delivery as usual , from Boland on 36.

India suddenly in trouble with few minutes left .154/4 : 42.1 ov from 152/2 : at 40.5 ov.

Excellent 3rd wicket partnership 102 off 158 .

And the the unfortunate Run out of Yashasvi Jaiswal 82 off 118 : 11 fours and 1 six.

Virat not looking at partner : 152/3 : 41 Ov. Virat 35*.

Akashdeep gets in as night watchman. 

India in 'Yashasvi' pursuit of big Australian total hits a six over mid-on to Marsh.

At Drinks: 134/2 : 37 Ov: Still trail by 340.

Yashasvi Jaiswal 65(103) + Virat Kohli 34(74).

Nice partnership developing 77*(125).

Yashasvi Jaiswal change gears 22* off 9 balls. 

Virat finding his touch 20* off 46.

103/2 : 50* partnership off 84 balls : 371 behind. 

Yashasvi Jaiswal gets to 50* in 81 balls : 7×4

At Tea : India 51/2 : 15 Ov.

Both wickets by Pat Cummins. 

KL Rahul 24 : 51/2 : 15 Ov.

Rohit Sharma 3 : 8/1  : 1.6 Ov. 

Ordinary show by India.

143 runs and just one wicket,  Smith takes Australia on Top ,by lunch on day 2.

Australia heading towards huge total. 

Smith getting to another 100 vs India...Maximum by any cricketer ..11 .

371/6 : 100 Ov.

Australia dominated the 1st hour.

Indian pacers wasted the new ball opportunity. 

Added 60 runs .

Just cherish the memories:

Of Melbourne 2020 : Jinx : Ajinkya Rahane the leader , saviour and winner.