Australia claim epic Boxing Day Test win over India in thrilling final hour finale

Tuesday, 31 December 2024 00:41 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Pat Cummins’ side open up a 2-1 series lead and close in on a second consecutive appearance in the World Test Championship Final after a thrilling victory over India

The Boxing Day Test in Melbourne has come to an amazing climax as Australia clinched an exciting 184-run victory over India in the last hour of the final day on Monday.

The final Indian wicket fell with less than 14 overs remaining in the day, with Nathan Lyon dismissing Mohammed Siraj to send the MCG crowd in excess of 74,000 into raptures as an epic contest between the two arch-rivals came to an end.

It means Australia now holds a 2-1 series lead over India in the five-match Border-Gavaskar series and can win the trophy back by avoiding defeat in Sydney. The reigning ICC World Test Championship winners are in the box seat to earn a place at next year’s final at Lords.

The Aussies retain second place on the World Test Championship standings and can join South Africa in the one-off Test decider in 2025 with a win in any of their three remaining Tests this cycle. India can still qualify for the World Test Championship Final but must win the final Test of the series against Australia in Sydney to tie the Border-Gavaskar series and then rely on the Aussies not winning a Test during their series in Sri Lanka that commences next month.

It was a strong all-round performance from Australia, with Player of the Match Pat Cummins (3/28) leading the way on the final day with a brilliant spell prior to lunch that turned the game, before Yashasvi Jaiswal (88) and Rishabh Pant (30) gave India hope with an excellent partnership of 88 for the fourth wicket.

Pant holed out to the unlikely source of Travis Head (1/14) to swing the momentum back towards the hosts and when Jaiswal fell in strange circumstances shortly after via the TV umpire overturning the onfield decision, the Aussies could taste victory.

Lyon (2/37), who toiled hard all day, then claimed the last wicket to bring an end to one of the best Test matches seen on Australian shores in recent times.

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