India on the Brink: Top Order Collapse in Melbourne Test
Melbourne, Dec 30 (PTI) – In a dramatic turn of events, India’s hopes of salvaging a win in the fourth Test against Australia were dashed as the top order faltered yet again. Set a daunting target of 340 runs on the final day, India found themselves struggling at 33 for 3 by lunch.
Skipper Rohit Sharma’s cautious approach did little to stabilize the innings, as he was dismissed for 9 runs off 40 balls by Pat Cummins, who claimed his wicket for the tenth time in Test cricket. Meanwhile, Virat Kohli’s persistent woes outside the off-stump continued, as he fell for 5 runs, caught at first slip off a Mitchell Starc delivery.
The morning session saw a slim chance of victory slip away as India’s defensive mindset mirrored their on-field performance. Despite Jasprit Bumrah’s impressive 13th five-wicket haul, which restricted Australia to 234 in their second innings, the Indian batting lineup failed to capitalize.
Yashasvi Jaiswal, though surviving 83 balls, managed only 14 runs, reflecting the team’s cautious yet ineffective strategy. The collapse was further compounded when Cummins delivered a late-moving ball to dismiss Rahul without scoring.
The Indian team’s approach, marked by a lack of aggression, has left them staring at a potential defeat, with the afternoon session promising more challenges. PTI