On an eventful day at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) where it all happened rapidly, India seized control of the third Test against Australia in remarkable fashion.
India pacer Jasprit Bumrah wrecked the Aussie batting card with career-best figures of 6-33 to hand the visitors a mammoth 292-run first innings lead.
After only seven wickets fell in the first two days of the Test, it burst into life in the third with as many as 14 wickets falling on the day. After the hosts were bundled out for a meagre 151 in their first innings, pacer Pat Cummins gave them a small opening by blowing away the India top-order in a sensational burst in the final session.
Cummins picked up four wickets inside the space of three overs including the big scalps of India’s first innings top-scorers Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane.
The Aussie quick was on a hat-trick at one stage after dismissing Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane off successive deliveries.
Oh what a feeling! BOOOOM!#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/LncsUe0jGq
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 28, 2018
By the time stumps were drawn at the MCG, India had reached 54-5 in their second innings with their overall lead standing at 346.
Despite the late show from Cummins, it was a day which clearly belonged to the tourists. Having posted a daunting 443-7 in their first innings, India made short work of the Aussies to cement their grip on the Boxing Day fixture.
No Australian batsman was allowed to get away as Bumrah continued his sensational 2018. It was Ishant Sharma who provided India the early breakthrough in the morning session with debutant Mayank Agarwal pulling off a stunning catch at short-leg to dismiss Aaron Finch.
Bumrah then got the better of Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Shaun Marsh and Australia skipper Tim Paine to put India in the ascendancy while spinner Ravindra Jadeja chipped in with the important wickets of Usman Khawaja and Mitchell Marsh.
BRIEF SCORES
India: 443-7/d and 54-5 (second innings)
Pat Cummins: 4-10
Australia: 151 all out
Jasprit Bumrah: 6-33
