BGT '24
Australia upbeat against conservative India in Boxing Day Test final day
Melbourne/IBNS: Eyeing a win, Australia reduced India to 33/3 at lunch on day five of the Boxing Day Test at MCG in Melbourne on Monday.
Australia were earlier on Monday bowled out by India for 234 in the second innings. The visitors need 340 runs to win the fourth match of the Border Gavaskar Trophy.
After India survived the fiery Australian bowling in the first hour, Aussie captain Pat Cummins picked a couple of wickets in the 17th over, removing opponent skipper Rohit Sharma (9 from 40 balls) and technically sound KL Rahul (0).
Just at the stroke of lunch, Australia drew more blood as Mitchell Starc picked the important wicket of India's cricket icon, Virat Kohli, who scored five from 29 balls in front of a massive crowd that included his wife, Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma.
Yashasvi Jaiswal, who looked promising surviving the Aussie onslaught, held his turf batting at 14 from 83 balls while walking into the pavilion for lunch.
India's pace bowling sensation Jasprit Bumrah (5/57) picked the only Australian wicket left in the morning in the form of Nathan Lyon, who added 40 until he was bowled out.
While Australia are smelling a win here to take 2-1 lead in the series, India will fight to draw the battle to keep it levelled.
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