India thrash Australia in Melbourne Test by 8 wickets, level four-Test series 1-1

Heading into the Melbourne Test, the main question on everyone’s mind was how India would bounce back from the debacle of being bowled out for 36 in Adelaide? Ajinkya Rahane, in his calm and composed manner, answered it in a decisive way. With his pro-active captaincy and a series-defining hundred, Ajinkya Rahane once again egged his bowling unit who was missing the services of Umesh Yadav due to a calf strain. Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Ravichandran Ashwin ran through the Australian batting yet again. The tail did frustrate India but not so much as to worry India who bided their time. In the end, the target of 70 was too little to trouble an Indian side rejuvenated. On day 4, India won the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground by eight wickets to level the four-Test series 1-1.

There were many players of the Indian cricket team who played an outcome in this win, which will be considered the best overseas win in a long time due to the background and circumstances heading into the Melbourne Test. It was Ajinkya Rahane’s pro-active captaincy on day 1 which knocked the momentum out of Australia. His field placings and his rotation of bowlers as well as his surprises clearly upset Australia’s planning. With the bat, Ajinkya Rahane’s century and his partnerships with Ravindra Jadeja and Rishabh Pant ensured that under the conditions, the lead of 127 was simply too much for Australia.

On day 3, Australia were staring at the brink of an innings defeat when Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja all chipped in to reduce Australia to 99/6. However, Cameron Green and Pat Cummins ensured the match would be taken to the fourth day.

Tail resists, India bide their time

Cameron Green and Pat Cummins showed their mettle and weathered out a testing one hour by Jasprit Bumrah and R Ashwin. Cummins, as he had done in 2018, was once again batting with determination and frustrated India. However, with the introduction of the second new ball, it was only a matter of time. Jasprit Bumrah produced a brilliant bouncer as Cummins fended off to the slips as the 58-run partnership was broken.

On the other hand, Cameron Green was showing positivity and looked good with a couple of boundaries. Green was nearing a fifty but on 45, he gifted his wicket to Mohammed Siraj. The rest of the tailenders hung in but did nothing to ensure that they could attack. When Mohammed Siraj took his third wicket, India took the extra half hour before the lunch break. Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc again frustrated the Indian bowlers, but with the last over before the break, Ravichandran Ashwin ended the vigilance of Josh Hazlewood as he took a wicket of a left-hander for the 192^nd time, creating a new world record and breaking Muttiah Muralitharan’s mark.

Rahane there till the end

Shubman Gill started off positively with a couple of boundaries as India looked to make confident progress. However, they suffered a couple of quick jolts as Mayank Agarwal fell for the second time to Mitchell Starc in the MCG game while Cheteshwar Pujara was snapped up by Pat Cummins for three runs. Memories of the 36 all out once again rumbled for a brief time for Indian cricket fans.

Fittingly, though, it needed the calm assurance of Ajinkya Rahane to ensure that India suffered no more jolts. Shubman Gill and Rahane batted with confidence and they managed to reach the target in the end. Rahane was in fine form as he scored some memorable boundaries as India neared the target to script one of the memorable victories for the side in Australia. It was a fine way to end 2020 for India but this win in MCG, their second consecutive, is all due to the brilliance of Ajinkya Rahane and his captaincy.