Australia Dominates India to Win Fourth Test by 184 Runs, Takes 2-1 Lead in Melbourne Test

 In a dramatic final session at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia dismantled India’s batting order, claiming victory by 184 runs in the fourth Test on Monday. With this win, Australia takes a 2-1 lead in the five-match series, putting India in a must-win situation for the final Test starting in Sydney on Friday to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Set a daunting target of 340 runs, India appeared to be in a strong position at tea, reaching 112-3 with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant at the crease. However, the match turned dramatically after Pant’s dismissal for 30, caught in the deep off a loose shot against part-time spinner Travis Head.

Captain Pat Cummins, who was instrumental in the victory with figures of 3-28, then removed top-scorer Jaiswal for 84 in a controversial caught-behind decision overturned by the TV umpire despite no audible evidence of a nick. Following Jaiswal’s exit, India’s batting crumbled, losing their last seven wickets for just 34 runs in 20.3 overs.

Scott Boland also made significant contributions with the ball, taking 3-39, while Nathan Lyon added 2-37 to his tally. India’s innings concluded at 155 all out with just 12.5 overs remaining in the match.

Earlier in the day, India’s hopes were dashed when veteran batsmen Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, and Virat Kohli all fell for single-digit scores, leaving the team in a precarious position.

Cummins excelled with the ball and contributed significantly with the bat, scoring 90 runs, the best match tally of his career.

As the series heads into its final Test, India must regroup quickly to avoid losing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.