Australia in command on day-2 of the Boxing Day Test

India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal plays a shot during Day 2 of the fourth Test match against Australia, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, in Melbourne on 27 Dec 2024. Photo- ANI.

MELBOURNE, 27 December 2024: After getting all out for 474, and India at 164 for five at stumps on day-2 of the Boxing Day Test, Australia were in command as India trailed by 310 runs. Rishabh Pant was on 6 and Ravindra Jain 4 when the days match ended. With 85, 147 in attendance, Yashavi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli were in an excellent partnership when the horrible mixup took place, leading to the visitors collapse.

Channel Seven’s Ricky Ponting on Virat Kohli’s dismissal commented, “I was just saying how run-outs can cause uncertainty, can cause a bit of confusion. He hasn’t played a shot like that all day. He has been so watchful outside that off stump an and that looked half-hearted to me. Looked like he wasn’t quite concentrating. You said there was a bit going on last over, a few words being exchanged, but it is that line again, the line we always talk about. Hang it out there, keep it away from the bat, and wait for Kohli to come to you. Well, it has worked again. Scott Boland, the MCG with 85,000 people has really come to life. Australia strike twice late on Day 2, and it’s the dangerous Kohli that goes. Big, big wicket. India 4/154.”

In the post-match media conference Steven Smith said, “It looks like Jaiswal called ‘yes’ and ran, but Virat sent him back. Simple as that. I didn’t see much more than that. I was running in, pretty excited. It was a nice wicket. It was really a good partnership. Then getting two more wickets made it a huge last hour for us.”

ANI adds:

Following the end of the 102-run partnership, India lost two more wickets within 20 minutes. Kohli edged a delivery to Carey off Scott Boland, and nightwatchman Akash Deep was dismissed for a duck, falling to a sharp delivery from Boland.

Ravindra Jadeja ended the day’s play on a positive note, flicking a boundary to bring India’s total to 164/5, trailing Australia by 310 runs.

TAILPIECE: A total of 152,375 fans attended Day 1 of the NRMA Insurance Boxing Day Test at the MCG and the KFC BBL|14 matches at the Sydney Cricket Ground and Optus Stadium. This is a 26 per cent increase on the record set 12 months ago when 120,662 fans came through the gates on Boxing Day 2023.

 

 

By Neeraj Nanda

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