On this day in 2018: India retain the Border-Gavaskar trophy in Melbourne
India thrashed Australia by 137 runs to win the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) and secured an unbeatable 2-1 lead in the four-match series on this day in 2018. India started the proceedings dominatingly as they finished 215 for 2 on the first day, with skipper Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara batting well-set at 47 and 68, respectively. The next morning started with Virat Kohli’s half-century and the duo went on to bat for the entire session before Lunch to take India to 277 for 2.
By the end of Day 2, Pujara’s 106, apart from Kohli (82) and Rohit Sharma’s (63) half-centuries led India to 443/7, when the Indian skipper decided to declare the innings and put the Australians to bat for half a dozen overs, attempting to make some early breakthroughs. However, Australian openers Aaron Finch and Marcus Harris negotiated well to end the day without any loss. The next day entirely belonged to India as Jasprit Bumrah recorded his career-best bowling figures of 6/33 off 15.5 overs to help India bowl out Australia for 151 and take a mammoth innings lead of 292 runs on day three.
Incredible effort by #TeamIndia to take a 2-1 lead, especially @Jaspritbumrah93 who has played an instrumental role in this win. He has gone from strength to strength in all formats of the game. Definitely one of the best in the world today. #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/vweoHd0nEE
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) December 30, 2018
Kohli declared India’s second innings on 106 for eight, courtesy of Pat Cummins’ 6/27. However, despite the low score, India left Australia with an impossible task of scoring 399 to win or surviving almost two days for a draw. Aaron Finch flopped at the top of the order, whereas fellow opener Marcus Harris followed him back to the pavilion for 13 and Usman Khawaja, who was the next to go after scoring 33. When Shaun Marsh was also trapped leg before by Bumrah for a brisk 44 and his brother Mitch – fell for 10, Australia’s slim hopes of surviving were disappearing quickly.
Travis Head put up some resistance with a gritty 34 before his stumps were knocked over by Ishant Sharma and when skipper Tim Paine went for 26, the end seemed imminent. However, Pat Cummins dug in to take the game into the fifth day. Jasprit Bumrah claimed his ninth wicket of the match, as he added three more to his six from the first innings when Pat Cummins’ fine innings of 63 ended with a catch to first slip. Then in the next over, Ishant Sharma found Nathan Lyon’s top edge as he hooked, and with that, it was all over as India took an unassailable lead in the series and retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
