Indian cricket team in Australia in 2020–21

Prithvi Shaw was bowled by Mitchell Starc with the second ball of the match.[128] India consolidated by batting slowly, even as multiple chances were created but not taken by the Australians[129]—Pujara had chances while on 0, 2 and 4, all evading fielders. India lost Agarwal with a ball from Cummins that nipped between bat and pad.[129] Kohli and Pujara were not out at the lunch break, with India 2/41 after 25 overs, Pujara 17 and Kohli 5.[128] India continued to bat slowly until tea, even after losing Pujara for 43 from 160 balls, India were 3/107 at the tea break.[130][128] Just after 9pm, Rahane drove the ball to mid-off and called a run, but sent Kohli back leaving him stranded in the middle of the pitch. Hazlewood fielded the ball and Lyon broke the stumps, with Kohli being run out for 74.[128][129] Rahane followed shortly after as he was dismissed lbw to Starc for 42 off 92 balls.[130] Vihari was soon dismissed by Hazlewood, also by lbw, for 16 runs.[128][131] After India were ahead for most of the day, Australia were now even or just in front, with India 6/233 at stumps.[128][131][132]

India lost their seventh wicket without adding to their overnight score, Ashwin dismissed by Cummins on the 3rd ball of the day.[133][128] Saha flashed at a wide ball from Starc the next over, but all he could manage was an edge through to Paine behind the stumps.[128][133] The Indian tail lasted only a few more overs, with Starc and Cummins claiming the final two wickets of Yadav for 6 and Shami for a duck.[128] India was all out for 244, adding only 11 to their overnight score.

Australia, like India, batted slowly with four consecutive maidens at the start of the innings.[133] Wade, who was only 8 off 50 balls, was deceived by Bumrah as he fell over his front pad and was trapped infront, a DRS review doing nothing to help his cause.[134] Australia was 1/16 after 14.1 overs.[128] Burns was lbw to Bumrah on the final ball of his next over, which was again reviewed but showed the ball crashing into the stumps.[134] Labuschagne and Smith were at the wicket. Labuschagne was given three chances with two drops by Bumrah and Shaw.[135] Shortly after the Shaw drop, Smith was almost runout at the non-striker's end as he was sent back by Labuschagne. However his luck ran out as he edged one from Ashwin to first slip, scoring just 1 from 29 balls as India dried up his scoring. Australia was 3/45 from 27 overs.[128] Head and Green were skittled by Ashwin for low scores as Australia struggled to 5/92 from 48 overs at tea, Labuschagne was 46* and Paine was 9*.[128] Labuschagne perished soon after tea but Paine rescued Australia's innings slightly as the tail wagged, dragging Australia to 191 from 72.1 overs, Paine stranded on 73* from 99 balls.[128] Australia had 6 overs to bowl at the Indian openers, and managed to capture Shaw's wicket in the 4th over for 4. India sent out Bumrah as a nightwatchman, India 1/9 at stumps with a lead of 62.[136]

A remarkable spell of bowling followed.[137][138] Bumrah was caught and bowled by Cummins in the second over of the day for 2.[139] India was now 2/15.[128] Pujara was removed for an eight-ball duck the next over by Cummins.[140] Hazlewood continued, taking Agarwal for 9 and Rahane in the following over, completing a double-wicket maiden. The collapse continued as Kohli came to the wicket and scored a flashy four through gully but as he tried to repeat it, the ball caught the edge and was caught at gully by the debutant Green.[140] India was 6/19 with a lead of just 72. Saha was caught by Labuschagne at midwicket for 4 in the 19th over,[128] the replacement Ashwin being removed for a golden duck, both by Hazlewood. Vihari was taken by Hazlewood in the 21st over taking the score to 9/31.[128] Cummins bowled the next over and hit Shami on his bowling arm. He tried to continue after being treated, but left the field and retired hurt. It was later revealed he had suffered a fractured wrist after undergoing scans.[141] India had been bowled out for 36, their lowest in an innings of a Test match. This was the first time in an innings no batsman or extras had reached double figures.[142]

Australia had been set 90 to win. Australia had 5 overs before the lunch break and reached the interval without losing a wicket, 0/15.[128] The openers Burns and Wade reached 70 but then Wade was dismissed in a bizarre runout where the ball bounced off short leg's protective pad, Saha collecting it and flicking it through his legs to dislodge the bails.[143] Labuschagne came to the crease and tried to attack Ashwin, top edging a hit over midwicket, caught by Agarwal at mid on.[144] In what would be the final over of the match, Smith came to the wicket and scored a single off his first ball.[145] Umesh bowled wide to Burns and he hit it through the slips cordon for 4. Burns, looking for his 50, hit the ball down to the fine leg fence, Vihari dropping the catch on the boundary, thus causing the ball to fly over for 6, Burns finishing on 51* along with Smith 1*, Australia winning by 8 wickets.[128][144]

26–30 December 2020[n 4] Scorecard

Australia	v	India
195 (72.3 overs) Marnus Labuschagne 48 (132) Jasprit Bumrah 4/56 (16 overs)		326 (115.1 overs) Ajinkya Rahane 112 (223) Nathan Lyon 3/72 (27.1 overs)
200 (103.1 overs) Cameron Green 45 (146) Mohammed Siraj 3/37 (21.3 overs)		2/70 (15.5 overs) Shubman Gill 35* (36) Mitchell Starc 1/20 (4 overs)

India won by 8 wickets Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne Umpires: Bruce Oxenford (Aus) and Paul Reiffel (Aus) Player of the match: Ajinkya Rahane (Ind)

• Australia won the toss and elected to bat.
• Shubman Gill and Mohammed Siraj (Ind) both made their Test debuts.

• This was the 100th Test match to be played between the two teams.[146]
• Ravindra Jadeja (Ind) played in his 50th Test.[147]
• Mitchell Starc (Aus) took his 250th wicket in Tests.[148]
• Tim Paine (Aus) became the fastest wicket-keeper to take 150 dismissals in Tests, in terms of matches played (33).[149]
• Ajinkya Rahane (Ind) was the first recipient of the Johnny Mullagh Medal for being the Player of the Match in the Boxing Day Test.[150]
• World Test Championship points: India 30, Australia –4.[151][n 5]

Burns fell for a 10-ball duck in the fifth over of the match.[152] Labuschagne came to the crease and put on a small partnership with Wade, but was broken in the 13th over, when Wade skied a pull shot off Ashwin, dismissed for 30.[152][153] Smith came and went quickly for a duck in the 15th over.[152][153] Australia were 3/38. Labuschagne and Head put on an 86 run partnership before Head edged to gully off Bumrah for 38.[152][153] Labuschagne topscored with 48. The lower order managed to get Australia to 195 after 72.3 overs. Australia had 11 overs to bowl to India, and Starc managed to get Agarwal for a duck on the sixth ball of the innings.[152] India were 1/36 at stumps, trailing by 159.

Gill lost his wicket in the 22nd over after making 45 from 65 deliveries.[152] Pujara followed in the 24th over for 17 from 70 deliveries, both wickets being taken by Pat Cummins. India were 3/90 after 37 overs at lunch; Rahane was on 10 and Vihari on 13. Lyon got Vihari on 21 in the 45th over. Pant made 29 at a strike rate of 72.50 as India reached 5/189 at tea. Jadeja then combined with Rahane as they accelerated in the final session of the day to take India to 5/277 with Rahane ending the day on 104*, and Jadeja 40*.[152]

Rahane was run out by Labuschagne combining with Tim Paine at the stumps for 112. Jadeja was removed by Starc for 57, and India were 7/306. The tail folded in the next nine overs. India had added just 49 runs in the session, as they were bowled out for 326, creating a first-innings lead of 131.[152] Australia came out to bat after lunch and Burns again fell cheaply to Yadav in the 4th over, however Yadav left soon after with muscle pain and left India with a bowler down.[154] Labuschagne offered some resistance but edged a ball from Ashwin to Rahane at slip, making 28 runs.[152] Australia were 2/65 at tea, Wade was on 27 and Smith was on 6. In the final session, Smith was dismissed for 8, bowled behind his legs by Bumrah causing Australia to be 3/71 after 32.2 overs. Wade fell for 40 in the 44th over, and Head followed shortly after for 17 in the 47th over. Australian captain Paine was controversially given out by the third umpire after the on field umpire ruled not out in the 48th over, falling for 1.[152][155] Australia ended the day at 6/133, a lead of 2 runs.[156] Green and Cummins were 17* and 15* respectively.

The final day of the game ended just after lunch with India achieving victory by eight wickets. Green and Cummins initially resisted the Indian attack, however Cummins fell for 22 to a Bumrah bouncer, and Green, batting with the tail, was caught in the same way as the last match—a mistimed pull shot caught at midwicket.[152] Australia quickly folded for 200, setting India a target of 70 to win. India in their second innings lost Agarwal and Pujara to low scores but captain Rahane and Gill finished on 27* and 35*, achieving the target in 15.5 overs, to level the series 1–1.[157]

Warner was gone in the fourth over of the match for 5 runs, edging to Pujara in the slips off Siraj. Labuschagne came out to bat and joined the debutant opening batsman Pucovski. Australia was 1/21 in the 8th over, when play was stopped one ball into the over due to rain. Lunch was taken early, as 35 overs were lost due to rain. The covers were cleared before tea,[160] and Pucovski was dropped on 26 and 32 by Rishabh Pant[161] before reaching his maiden half century off 97 balls. Australia was 1/93 from 31 overs at tea with Pucovski on 54* and Labuschagne on 34*. Pucovski fell for 62, ending a 100-run stand. Australia was 2/106. Smith came to the wicket, as Labuschagne brought up his 50 off 108 balls, with six fours. Australia ended the day on 2/166 with Labuschagne on 67* and Smith on 31*.[162] Australia was generally considered on top at stumps.[160][161][163][164]

Rain delays continued, as Australia reached 200 in the 69th over.[162] Labuschagne fell shortly after for 91, caught by Rahane at slip from the bowling of Jadeja.[165] Smith received little support from the rest of the team as Australia collapsed to lose its final eight wickets for 130 runs.[165] Green, Cummins and Lyon were all dismissed for ducks. Despite this, Smith made his 27th Test hundred batting with the tail, but was finally run out for 131 off 226 balls.[162] India came out to bat and the opening pair of Gill and Rohit Sharma put on 70 before Sharma was caught and bowled by Hazlewood for 26, on the final ball of the 27th over. Gill fell shortly after for 50, being caught at gully by Green off the bowling of Cummins. India finished the day on 2/96 from 45 overs, erasing Australia's lead to 242 runs at stumps.[162][166] Pujara was 9* and Rahane was 5*.

Rahane was bowled by Cummins for 22 from 70 balls in the 55th over. Pujara anchored the innings, adding 50 off 176 balls as India collapsed from 3/142 to 244 all out,[167] as Vihari, Ashwin and Bumrah were all run out. Australia had a first innings lead of 94. Australia had 29 overs to bat out in the final session. Pucovski was caught behind off Siraj for 10 in the sixth over, and Warner fell in the tenth over, leg before wicket to Ashwin for 13. Australia was 2/35 but Smith and Labuschagne partnered together to a stand of 68 at stumps, Australia was 2/103 from 29 overs, and Labuschagne was 47* while Smith was 29*. Australia led by 197.[167]

Labuschagne again fell short of a hundred as he was caught behind off Saini for 73. Smith, Green and Paine batted Australia to a lead of 406, as they made 81, 84 and 39* respectively. India had a target of 407 to win the match in four sessions. India had another promising first wicket stand, until Gill was claimed for 31 in the 23rd over by Hazlewood. Sharma's wicket was claimed by Cummins in the 31st over as he attempted a pull shot but was caught at backward square leg by Starc.[162] India was 2/98 from 34 overs at stumps, with Pujara on 9* and Rahane 4*.

India required 309 on the final day. Rahane was caught by Wade at short leg off the bowling of Lyon in the second over of the day. India was 3/102. Pant was sent out at number five and put on a 148-run partnership with Pujara before Pant fell for 97 in the 80th over. Pujara was bowled by Hazlewood in the 89th over. Vihari and Ashwin survived the rest of the overs without too much trouble, as India played the match out for a draw. They did have a scare in the 123rd over, as Starc caught the edge of Vihari's bat, but the chance was dropped by the keeper Paine.[168] The chance of the match ending in a win for either team was dropping at this point, as the five wickets for Australia and 88 runs proved too difficult for either team to manage. Vihari finished with 23* (161) and Ashwin was 39* (128).