AUS vs IND 2024/25, Australia vs India 4th Test, Day 2, Melbourne Match Report, December 26 – 30, 2024

Stumps India 164 for 5 (Jaiswal 82, Kohli 36, Pant 6*, Jadeja 4*, Boland 2-24, Cummins 2-57) trail Australia 474 (Smith 140, Labuschagne 72, Konstas 60, Khawaja 57, Cummins 49, Bumrah 4-99, Jadeja 3-78, Akash Deep 2-94) by 310 runs

To cap off Australia’s day, Boland had nightwatcher Akash Deep taken at leg gully with minutes remaining as India lost 3 for 6.

It was a day that started and ended badly for India. They were insipid in the field during the morning as Australia ransacked 143 runs off 27 overs with Smith, who went to his 34th Test century to be within 51 of reaching 10,000 Test runs, and Cummins combining to add 112 for the seventh wicket.

But Jaiswal, who had yet to contribute in a first innings of this series having had problems against Mitchell Starc, provided encouragement for the masses of Indian support among a record second-day crowd of 85,147, while Kohli attempted to channel the form revival that has been shown by Smith in recent weeks.

As he had during the 161 in Perth, Jaiswal wasn’t afraid to take on the short ball with ramps over the slips and also drove handsomely down the ground. He launched Mitchell Marsh’s medium pace over long-on for six, and then cut Boland for a boundary to bring up the half-century and have sights on a hundred when his innings was brought to an abrupt end. It was Jaiswal’s call, but always looked a very tight run. Kohli barely moved from his crease. Cummins calmly threw the ball on the bounce to Carey, who was celebrating before he broke the stumps.

Kohli, the day after being fined for his shoulder contact with Sam Konstas, wore a look of determination from the start of his innings. After a series of dismissals pushing at deliveries away from his body, Kohli left alone plenty as Australia’s quicks tried to tempt him, although he did unfurl one pristine cover drive. When Starc strayed on to the pads, Kohli flicked him powerfully through midwicket. Yet, ultimately, the channel outside off proved his downfall, and perhaps the effects of Jaiswal’s run out as well.

Australia had resumed at 311 for 6 after an opening day headlined by the innings of Konstas, and they made positive progress from the start against an India side that appeared flat as nine runs came off the opening over. Jasprit Bumrah remained a threat – although Smith was able to hook him for the fourth six he conceded in the innings – but scoring was free elsewhere as the home side cantered along.

Smith brought up his century with a pristine cover drive off Nitesh Kumar Reddy, and then took on the struggling Mohammed Siraj, who conceded more than five an over. It was as fluent as Smith had looked for a long time, perhaps even back to the halcyon days of 2019. The century stand with Cummins was raised in 21 overs with the Australia captain showing the danger he can provide when playing positively.

Cummins was one short of a fourth Test fifty when he picked out long-off against Ravindra Jadeja, who also claimed Starc straight after lunch. Next over, Smith somehow dragged into his stumps when he charged at Akash Deep, edged on to his pads, and watched helplessly as the ball trickled back to dislodge the leg bail. But, with up to three innings remaining against India, he now has a good chance to reaching one of cricket’s rare summits before this series is done.