The 4th Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy unfolded on Boxing Day at the Melbourne Cricket Ground with India battling to keep their heads above water as Australia stamped their dominance with impressive performances. Heading onto Day 3, India found themselves precariously placed against the Australian bowling attack, trailing by 245 runs with only three wickets remaining.
Australia, having already amassed 474 runs during their innings, showcased their strength with the bat through stellar performances from Steven Smith and the captain Pat Cummins. Smith's remarkable century—his first against India since 2021—was pivotal, landing him 140 runs before he was dismissed later by Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah, significantly strengthening Australia's first innings score.
Meanwhile, Cummins, who had opened the game with promise, fell short of his half-century by just one run, undone by the brilliant fielding display of young Nitish Kumar Reddy. Reddy leaped to pull off a sensational catch at mid-off, departing Cummins during the 105th over off Ravindra Jadeja, leading to praises from teammates and critics alike.
Despite Australia's commanding position, India made attempts to rebound as they started their innings with Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja, both key players for the team. Unfortunately for the visitors, they lost skipper Rohit Sharma early, scoring just 3 runs. KL Rahul was soon to follow, edging out with 24 runs, and the pressure mounted as Yashasvi Jaiswal fell for 82 after showing promise with his batting before miscommunications led to unnecessary run-outs among the Indian batters.
With India struggling at 238 runs for 7 wickets around Lunch on Day 3, the batting duo of Reddy and Washington Sundar attempted to thwart Australia's push for dominance, scoring steadily. Reddy's determination was palpable, scoring runs quickly and keeping India's hopes alive. Reddy, known for his aggressive style of play, was seen helping bring India back from the brink with shots flying toward the boundary and showcasing his ability, including hitting Cummins for a six early on.
Australia's bowlers, particularly Scott Boland, remained unfazed. Boland strategically aimed deliveries at the Indian batsmen’s weaknesses, claiming three important wickets by the end of Day 2. His tactics included placing fielders strategically, banking on Pant’s aggressive nature seen during earlier matches.
With every passing session, it seemed as though Australia aimed to wrap up India's innings quickly, eager to enforce the follow-on if successful. They managed to keep the pressure through consistent lines and lengths, grabbing key wickets and maintaining control, especially with Nathan Lyon's spin adding to India's struggles against the rising pressure.
This Test match is proving yet again how the format can induce immense pressure, especially during close situations, and as the battle continued, India will need to dig deep. With the backdrop of Boomerang, the vibrant and historically rich environment surrounding the Melbourne Cricket Ground only added to the reverberations of excitement among cricket fans.
With the attendance crossing 550,000 collectively over the series so far, this fourth match carries the weight of expectations, and both teams are aware of the need to perform strongly as the series nears its climax. The remaining days are set to be thrilling as both teams push for victory carding their pride and the series trophy at stake.
Moving forward, eyes remain on Reddy, who looks poised to uplift India's spirits with his batting, especially after his energetic start today, as he looks to make significant runs alongside Washington Sundar. With action continuing, there remains plenty of cricket still to be played, and every ball counts.
