Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Australia trump India in fourth test

Spectators were treated to five days of action-packed cricket in 2024’s Boxing Day Test, which culminated in a 184-run victory for Australia. With their win, the Aussies took a key step towards claiming a 3-1 victory in their five-match test series against India on January 5th.

At the close of play on day one, only two words were on spectator’s lips: Sam Konstas. The swashbuckling debutant, only 19 years of age, opened the innings for Australia with a bang. After a shaky start, Konstas found his footing in the sixth over, scoring 16 runs off Indian quick Jasprit Bumrah. From there, it was one-way traffic. He raced to a half century off 52 balls, with his unashamedly aggressive approach transforming him into an overnight sensation.

All throughout his innings, Team India were visibly flustered. Whether it be a product of frustration or a pathetic attempt at intimidation, Virat Kohli physically shoved Konstas in between overs, inciting the ire of onlookers the world over and earning himself a fine.

After Konstas’ innings came to an end, having scored 60 runs off 65 balls, stellar batting by the top-order trio of Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, and Steve Smith took the Aussies all the way to 237/2 – a dominant position for the home team. After tea, India managed to find their way back into contention. Washington Sundar dismissed Labuschagne, before Bumrah and an ever-disciplined Akash Deep tore through the middle order, leaving Australia on 311/6 at stumps.

As day two began, India hoped to end Australia’s innings swiftly, keeping their total below 400. All hopes of this were quashed in the first session. India’s bowling attack was sloppy, with each and every bowler barring Bumrah being bereft of rhythm. Australia raced to 454 before lunch, and ended their innings on a monumental 474 runs.

With India at 221 and only three wickets to spare, things were looking grim for the men in blue

With India needing to put up a sizeable total to stay competitive, hopes for a solid start to their innings were quickly dashed. Australian skipper Pat Cummins sent his opposite number, Rohit Sharma, back to the pavilion in the third over. With an absolute ripper, he then knocked over KL Rahul’s off stump just before tea, leaving India battered and bruised on 30/2. A solid partnership between opening batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal and Kohli took India to 152, but tragedy soon befell the batting side. Jaiswal was run out following a mix-up between him and Kohli, the latter nicking off to the keeper soon after having scored only 36 runs. Deep, summoned to the crease as a nightwatchman, lost his wicket soon after – leaving India on a paltry 160/5 at the end of day’s play.

On day three, Rishabh Pant and Jadeja were cheaply dismissed, with the former’s demise coming at the hands of a poorly executed ramp shot. With India at 221 and only three wickets to spare, things were looking grim for the men in blue. A gritty rearguard orchestrated by Nitish Kumar Reddy and Sundar revived their hopes, taking the team past the 300 mark and slowly but surely chipping away at Australia’s lead. The former’s performance was one to remember. After Sundar departed, Reddy fought his way into the nineties as India’s batsmen fell around him. With India nine men down, Reddy finally made it to triple figures, with a stellar drive sending the ball to the boundary. Reddy’s inaugural test century was witnessed by his father in the stands, who’s tears of joy made the moment even more memorable. India reached 369 before Reddy holed out to long on, ending the team’s first innings.

Many an India supporter will have been left contemplating what could have been

India’s bowling attack started on a more promising note during Australia’s second innings. Another brilliant Konstas knock wasn’t to be, as Bumrah took his stumps in the seventh over. Siraj proceeded to enter the wickets column with a corker of a delivery that ended Khawaja’s stay at the crease. Labuschagne and Smith seemed on track for a decent partnership, only for the latter to lose his wicket following a wayward drive – a rare loss of discipline for the prolific batsman. From then on out, it was the Bumrah Show all the way. The Indian quick dismantled Australia’s middle order yet again, leaving the batting side reeling on 91/6.

Labuschagne’s partnership with Cummins stabilised Australia, adding another 49 runs to their total following a fumbled catch by Jaiswal. Many an India supporter will have been left contemplating what could have been had that catch been taken. Unfortunately, the day only got worse for Jaiswal – he dropped yet another with Australia on 135/6, leaving India’s captain visibly incandescent.

India’s prospects improved after lunch. Siraj trapped Labuschagne in front, with team Australia being left on 173/9 after Starc was run out and Jadeja ended Cummins’ innings. From then on out, the unstoppable force of India’s bowlers met the immovable object that was Australia’s tenth-wicket partnership. In a turn of events that few were expecting, Lyon and Scott Boland put up staunch resistance. The pair scored 61 between them and extended the Aussie innings into the final day of the match.
Australia were bowled out early on day five, as Bumrah toppled Lyon’s middle stump for his fifth wicket of the innings and his ninth of the test match. With Australia’s batters finally bowing out, the target was set for India: 340. India had successfully chased down a similar total in 2021 – could they repeat the feat?

A World Test Championship final against South Africa now awaits Australia

It wasn’t to be. India’s top order was swiftly dismantled before lunch. Cummins jettisoned Rohit and Rahul before Kohli nicked off yet again. By this time, India had only put 33 runs on the score board. Jaiswal and Pant momentarily provided their team hope that they might survive the day and draw the match, stitching together a partnership that left Australia wicketless in the second session.

However, after Pant ended his innings with a haphazard pull shot in the final session, the floodgates opened. India collapsed from 121/3 to 140/7, with Jaiswal’s dismissal to Cummins effectively ending India’s hopes. Boland and Lyon cleaned up the tail, and that was that. Australia had prevailed.

With their victory, Australia took control of the series and went on to regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. India, meanwhile, will rue the myriad missed opportunities they faced throughout the game, relinquishing the title for the first time since 2017. A World Test Championship final against South Africa now awaits Australia, as they begin 2025 on a high note.