- Australian captain Cummins took 3-28 after scoring 90.
- Jaiswal’s bold strike ends in a controversial manner.
- Pant’s departure for 30 leads to their collapse.
Melbourne: Australia snatched seven Indian wickets in the final session of the fourth Test in Melbourne on Monday to win by 184 runs and take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
India collapsed to 155 all out with just 12.5 overs remaining in the match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and will need to win the final Test starting in Sydney on Friday to level the series and retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Australian captain Pat Cummins, who took 3-28, removed top-scorer Yashasvi Jaiswal for 84 as India’s last seven wickets fell for 34 runs from 20.3 overs.
Having set 340 runs to win, India looked well placed to save it when Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant bowled through the entire second session to make it 112-3 at tea.
However, the departure of 30-year-old Pant, caught deep off a wild shot from part-time spinner Travis Head, sparked their collapse.
Ravindra Jadeja and first-innings centurion Nitish Kumar Reddy came and went quickly before Cummins ended Jaiswal’s audacious 208-ball knock in controversial fashion.
The 23-year-old was not granted an appeal as he was caught from the hook attempt.
But the decision was overturned by the television referee based on visual evidence indicating that the ball had changed direction, despite the technology not picking up any noise.
Akash Deb was caught short off Scott Boland (3-39) before Jasprit Bumrah scored his second of the match and Mohammed Siraj was the last man out, trapped lbw by Nathan Lyon, who finished with 2-37.
The stubborn Washington Sundar was dismissed for five after facing 45 balls.
India’s hopes were shaken in the first session when veteran batsmen Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli departed for individual scores.
Cummins completed an inspiring Test, taking 3-38 and six wickets in total as well as scoring 90 runs, the best batting match tally of his career.