Boxing Day Test: Australia defeat India to take 2-1 lead in Border-Gavaskar Trophy epic

We’re 10 overs in an India are 0-17, with Pat Cummins swung around to the member’s end to replace Mitchell Starc.

There is a school of thought this morning that India could be fairly interested in a draw today. They needed more than three-and-a-half runs an over at the start of their innings and are going at less than two.

It’s hard to tell what they’re thinking at the moment, but there hasn’t been an awful lot of strokeplay happening. Yashasvi Jaiswal leant on one four down the ground earlier, but otherwise they’ve let anything not hitting the stumps pass through.

Rohit Sharma, who is under immense pressure to hold his spot in the side has actually looked better here. He has left the ball pretty well right from the start and is playing it later, behind his front pad, which is promising for India.

A draw today would put India in the box seat to at the very least retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy up in Sydney next week.

But it would end their hopes of making it through to the World Test Championship final next year, which South Africa qualified for overnight. There’s plenty to weigh up.

Just a bit of a watch on Mitchell Starc today.

He battled a rib niggle in the first innings and received treatment between overs from physios, but sent down 25 of them and his pace didn’t drop.

He has been asked about it in a couple of radio interviews, including a decent probe on the ABC after stumps last night. But his responses have been snappy and pretty coy.

“It’s not something that is bothering me. My pace is up … If I need to bowl 20 (overs) tomorrow, I’ll bowl 20.”

He has started with the new ball today of course and his pace and rhythm looks OK, but I think there is a bit of a watch for the Sydney Test next week.

Often when bowlers are allowed to bowl through niggles, it might mean they’re not planning to back up. There’s just a three-day break between today and day one in Sydney.

We are five overs in to India’s second innings and Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins have bowled superbly for Australia.

They’re conceded just six runs across those deliveries, with all bar three dots.

Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma are out in the middle together after the captain lost his cool with the young opener in the field yesterday.

Jaiswal dropped three catches in the second innings.

Less is more for Jasprit Bumrah, the world’s finest paceman.

Rohit Sharma might be the captain of this side, but Bumrah has one hand on the wheel.

Jackson Barrett looks at Bumrah’s individual impact on this Test series.

Jasprit Bumrah knocks Nathan Lyon’s middle stump over and he’s got 5-fa!

More importantly, it brings to a close an incredible 10th-wicket stand that has put Australia in a commanding position on day five.

Lyon added 41 runs alongside Scott Boland (15*), with their partnership adding 61 runs to the total as the hosts are bowled out for 234.

India have been set 340 runs for victory.

It’s not often we get ripping final days of Test matches in Australia.

Think a blonde Michael Clarke and his long sleeves spinning India’s tail out in the final overs at the SCG in 2008, or Amazing Adelaide in 2006 and it’s ridiculous day five.

But the one this match really evokes memories of is India’s series-clinching win in Brisbane in 2021. Rishabh Pant and then Washington Sundar - both first time tourists then - helped chased down 328 to hand Australia their first defeat at the Gabba in 32 years.

There are some striking similarities!

Asked about that match last night, Marnus Labuschagne said the Gabba wicket was “real flat” and while he says there is some variable bounce at the ‘G, batting conditions looks pretty reasonable.

Good morning from a very sunny MCG!

This has been one of the all-time great Test matches in Australia and we are set to go deep into this final day.

There is no word of a declaration yet with Scott Boland and Nathan Lyon back at the crease this morning.

Then they need to take 10 wickets, while as it stands, India are chasing more than 300, which would be a record for the venue and their fourth-highest ever.

There is growing optimism here that a crowd of above 51,206 could come to watch this epic last day and that would make this the biggest crowd EVER for a Test in Australia.

The previous record is 350,534 from the 1936-1937 third Ashes Test here almost 100 years ago, but even that was played across six days. Don Bradman made 270 in that match, by the way.

It is already the biggest ever crowd for a Boxing Day Test, passing the 2013-14 Ashes match.

And welcome to what looms as an epic final day of the Boxing Day Test.

An Australian win, an Indian victory and a draw are all in play on day five, with a record-breaking crowd expected at the MCG.

Scott Boland (10*) and Nathan Lyon (41*) will continue after their 10th-wicket partnership got the hosts to a 333-run lead at stumps.

A huge day of Test cricket ahead!