The second innings of the ongoing Boxing Day Test has offered Team India an opportunity. The pacers Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah caused the majority of the damage to the hosts, as the Australian team lost half of their team early on Day 4.
One of the best innings was previously made during the Melbourne Test, when a young Nitish Reddy applied pressure. Because they were bowled out for 369, the Indian team was able to drastically cut their deficit margin. At Tea, the Indian bowlers were left reeling for 135/6, signalling that it was time for them to join the comeback celebration.
This basically meant that they had a chance to win to keep the Test match going, which was initially looking like Australia’s contest. Virat Kohli devised a brilliant plan to knock the in-form Australian cheaply, and Steve Smith’s wicket was one of the most delicate dismissals of the day.
Mohammed Siraj was urged by the Indian great to bowl outside off the crease as picked by the stump in a video that is currently going viral. Interestingly, Smith, who appeared to be looking for the inswinger, ended up chasing the ball outside off stump before giving Rishabh Pant a straightforward catch behind the stumps, demonstrating how well Kohli’s strategy worked.
“He doesn’t like it coming from the corner, every ball from the corner,” said Virat Kohli in Hindi to Siraj over the stump microphone.
Check out the viral Virat Kohli- Mohammed Siraj moment here:
Virat 🤝 Siraj
Kohli’s “𝙆𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙨𝙚” plan worked like magic as Siraj sent Smith back to the dugout! 🤩#AUSvINDOnStar 👉 4th Test, Day 4 | LIVE NOW! | #ToughestRivalry #BorderGavaskarTrophy pic.twitter.com/xNP2jCXMrM
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) December 29, 2024
In the second innings, the top order in Australia fell.
Australia is currently 191/9 after 71.2 overs and is in danger of being bowled out in their second innings. Nathan Lyon and Scott Boland, the final duo, are on the crease. Among India’s standout bowling efforts were when Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah tore through the Australian lineup, sharing seven wickets between them.
The hosts are up by 296 runs at the moment and will want to surpass the 300-run threshold. Given that the Melbourne Test still has more than a day of play to determine the result, India has a chance to try to chase down the objective.