09:56 (IST)
As skipper Ajinkya Rahane pointed out, India showed great temperament, bouncing back after their Adelaide loss. The victory was led by none other than the stand-in skipper himself who starred with a century in the first essay. Jadeja’s 50 and his partnership was Rahane was crucial in giving the visitors a healthy lead. Gill came in and announced that he is here to stay, showing plenty of promise in the two innings. But credit must be given to the bowlers for bundling out the Aussies. Even without Ishant, Shami and Umesh (in the second innings), the bowling unit showed that its fully capable of running through the opposition’s batting. Jasprit Bumrah and R Ashwin were phenomenal as usual but debutant Mohammed Siraj rose to the occasion, providing India with crucial breakthroughs. The series stands levelled at 1-1, all the more reason to look forward to the upcoming contests.
That's it from us today, but do join us on 7th January for the live coverage of the third Test. We hope you enjoyed our coverage. Adios.
09:55 (IST)
Australia’s 100th Test:
v England: Won
v West Indies: Won
v India: Lost
09:45 (IST)
Did you know?
None of Ajinkya Rahane’s 12 Test hundreds came in a losing cause. 9 of them in wins and rest three in draws. Excellent!
09:45 (IST)
Visiting captains to win Man of the Match award at MCG in Tests:
— Sachin Tendulkar, 1999
— Ajinkya Rahane, 2020*
09:45 (IST)
Visiting teams to win a Test at MCG after losing the toss this century:
— South Africa won by 9 wickets in 2008
—India won by 8 wickets in 2020*
09:43 (IST)
Surely deserves its place among India's greatest Test wins ever!
Perth ‘08, Headingley ‘02, Melbourne ‘81: away wins that India pulled off when few gave them a chance. Now they have won in Melbourne without 4 of their first-choice players against one of the best Australian attacks. A victory that will be spoken of for a long long time
— Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) December 29, 2020
09:42 (IST)
Huge praise coming from the man who masterminded another epic Indian victory 19 years ago
WOW!! Incredible comeback. What a win. Fine display of mental strength and character. Congratulations to each and every member of the Squad. @BCCI #INDvAUS
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) December 29, 2020
09:36 (IST)
Tim Paine, Australia captain: Obviously we’re very disappointed. Played very poor cricket for the majority of the four days. Made number of mistakes, particularly with the bat. You’ve got to give the Indian attack the credit. We didn’t adapt as well as we would’ve liked. But there’s still two to go, and we’ll work hard and try to rectify our mistakes. (On Green) He’s started his career really well, and will blossom into an outstanding player. (On gap between 2nd and 3rd Tests) I think we’ll be staying together. Potential for some guys to go and play some Big Bash, and then we might see where we head from there.
09:35 (IST)
India skipper Ajinkya Rahane, Man of the Match: Really proud of all the players. I would really give credit to the debutants (Shubman Gill and Mohammed Siraj). They showed great character after the Adelaide loss. Character was important for us, especially after losing Umesh in the second innings. Our five bowler plan worked out nicely for us. Shubman, we all know about his first class record and in this game too, he showed that he can play shots at this level. Siraj has shown that he can bowl with discipline. It's really difficult for debutants to bowl with discipline but that's where I think the First-class experience comes in handy. Australia applied themselves with their last five wickets. Umesh is recovering well, management and medical staff will take the call about his inclusion in the next Test. We're excited about Rohit coming back. Spoke to him yesterday, he's waiting to join the team.
09:21 (IST)
— Record Alert:
MCG becomes the first overseas ground where India have now won four Test matches.
— Home teams losing most Tests at a venue:
32 : AUSTRALIA, MCG*
32 : England, Lord’s
— India under the captaincy of Ajinkya Rahane in Tests:
v Australia, Dharamsala, 2017
v Afghanistan, Bangalore, 2018
v Australia, Melbourne, 2020*
— India have won each of the three Tests
— Indian players part of most winning Tests in SENA countries:
8 - Ishant Sharma
7 - Rahul Dravid
7 - Sunil Gavaskar
7 - VVS Laxman
7 - Sachin Tendulkar
7 - Cheteshwar Pujara*
— Test matches won by India in Australia:
Till 2017 : 5 out of 44
Since 2018 : 3 out of 6*
09:20 (IST)
After 14 overs, 70/2 after 15.5 overs ( Shubman Gill 35, Ajinkya Rahane (C) 27)
Lyon continues. Deservingly, Rahane pulls and collects the winning run. India have beaten Australia by 8 wickets. They showed great character, bouncing back after their abysmal show at Adelaide. The four-match Test series stands levelled at 1-1.
09:17 (IST)
After 15 overs,India 69/2 ( Shubman Gill 35 , Ajinkya Rahane (C) 26)
Bowling change as Labuschagne comes into the attack. Gill whacks the second wide of mid on for a boundary while Rahane takes a triple off the last. Nine runs off the over. Just one needed now.
09:16 (IST)
FOUR! Full delivery from Labuschagne and Gill whacks it wide of mid on.
09:14 (IST)
After 14 overs,India 60/2 ( Shubman Gill 30, Ajinkya Rahane (C) 22)
Lyon continues. Starc drops Rahane, a tough chance at long-on and the stand in skipper sneaks a double. A single off the penultimate ball from the blade of Rahane. The equation down to 10 runs as India cruise towards victory.
09:11 (IST)
After 13 overs,India 57/2 ( Shubman Gill 30 , Ajinkya Rahane (C) 19)
Hazlewood continues. After playing four dots, Gill pounces on the width offered by the pacer, pulling the ball for a boundary towards deep mid wicket. Four runs off the over.
09:11 (IST)
FOUR! Pulled with disdain. Gill waited on the backfoot, swivelled on his feet and whacks it towards the vacant mid wicket region.
09:07 (IST)
After 12 overs,India 53/2 ( Shubman Gill 26 , Ajinkya Rahane (C) 19)
Bowling change as Nathan Lyon comes into the attack and the off spinner begins with an economical over, giving away just a single off it. India inching closer to victory, just 17 required now.
09:05 (IST)
After 11 overs,India 52/2 ( Shubman Gill 25 , Ajinkya Rahane (C) 19)
Hazlewood continues. Rahane collects a boundary off the first after slapping one past point. He then top edges one towards the leg side but the ball falls between two fielders. Luck escape there. An elegant cover drive off the last from the blade off Rahane. 10 runs off the over. Doesn’t seem like a Test match.
09:05 (IST)
FOUR! Ajinkya Rahane crisply drives it through the covers. All class!
09:00 (IST)
FOUR! Rahane punches it on the up through the off-side. Positive intent from him.
08:59 (IST)
After 10 overs,India 42/2 ( Shubman Gill 25 , Ajinkya Rahane (C) 9)
Cummins into his fifth over. Does well to induce an outside edge against Gill off the fourth but the ball takes an outside edge and races away towards point for a boundary. Six runs off the over.
08:57 (IST)
FOUR! Gill goes for the cover drive but the ball takes an outside edge and races away towards point.
08:54 (IST)
After 9 overs,India 36/2 ( Shubman Gill 20 , Ajinkya Rahane (C) 8)
Bowling change for Australia as Josh Hazlewood comes into the attack. The pacer mixes up his line and length really well as Rahane chooses to see off the over.
08:50 (IST)
After 8 overs,India 36/2 ( Shubman Gill 20 , Ajinkya Rahane (C) 8)
Cummins continues. Huge appeal for LBW off the second delivery against Rahane but there was an inside edge there. The stand-in skipper wanted to cut the fourth through point but there wasn’t enough room on offer. A triple off the last after five consecutive dots. India need 34 runs.
08:46 (IST)
After 7 overs,India 33/2 ( Shubman Gill 20 , Ajinkya Rahane (C) 5)
Starc concedes two boundaries in his fourth over, both from the blade of Gill. The Punjab batsman cut one through point and the ball took his outside edge for the second boundary. 10 runs off the over. India seem in a hurry to wrap things up.
08:44 (IST)
Memories of THAT session at Adelaide starting to surface again for some
1 billion people’s blood pressure up . Pharma companies stock up :)
— Vikram Sathaye (@vikramsathaye) December 29, 2020
08:44 (IST)
FOUR! Outside edge and it runs down to third man. Second boundary off Starc’s over.
08:44 (IST)
FOUR! Bit of width from Starc and Gill pounces on it, cutting it through point for a boundary.
08:43 (IST)
Pat Cummins has dismissed Pujara in each of his last three Test innings.
08:42 (IST)
Players dismissing Pujara most times in Tests:
10 : Nathan Lyon
7 : James Anderson
5 : Pat Cummins*
08:41 (IST)
After 6 overs,India 23/2 ( Shubman Gill 11 , Ajinkya Rahane (C) 4)
Cummins continues and he joins the party, removing Pujara, who holes out to Green. Aussies won’t go down without a fight. Stand-in skipper Rahane announces his arrival with a well-timed pull shot that fetches him a boundary. Four runs and a wicket in the over.
08:38 (IST)
FOUR! Cummins dug it real short and Rahane pulled it with disdain. The stand-in skipper looked really confident there.
08:37 (IST)
OUT! And now Pujara departs. Cummins gets the breakthrough. The delivery was shaping away from Pujara, who poked at it and edged it to Green at gully. Is there a twist in the tale here? Pujara c Green b Cummins 3(4)
08:34 (IST)
After 5 overs,India 19/1 ( Shubman Gill 11 , Cheteshwar Pujara 3)
Starc into his third over. And he draws first blood for Australia, removing Agarwal with an away angler that took the batsman’s outside edge and carried to Paine. Pujara joins Gill at the crease. Four runs off the over.
08:32 (IST)
OUT! Starc picks up the first wicket for Australia. Agarwal departs. The ball was angling away from Mayank, he could have left it. Instead, the ball took the outside edge of his bat and carried into Paine’s gloves. Mayank’s poor run on the tour continues. Agarwal c Paine b Starc 5(15)
08:30 (IST)
After 4 overs,India 15/0 ( Mayank Agarwal 5 , Shubman Gill 10)
Cummins continues. Shubman has looked more assured at the crease but Mayank has faced some really good deliveries from Starc and Cummins. Just two runs off the over as Mayank drives one through the covers.
08:23 (IST)
After 3 overs, IND 13/0 (Gill 10, Agarwal 3)
Starc continues. Gill shows the second ball the full face of his blade as it runs down the ground for a boundary. That apart, he chooses to see off the over.
08:21 (IST)
FOUR! Shubman is so easy on the eye with his classy drives. This time the Punjab batsman shows the ball the full face of the bat. Straight as an arrow!
08:20 (IST)
After 2 overs, IND 9/0 (Gill 6, Agarwal 3)
Pat Cummins comes into the attack. Gill collects a boundary with a classy cover drive before taking a tight delivery off the second. The fifth delivery nearly takes Agarwal’s outside edge. It does not jag back in as Agarwal expected. A double to end the over, from Mayank’s blade. Seven runs off the over.
08:16 (IST)
FOUR! Gill plays a majestic cover drive. Class written all over that!
08:14 (IST)
After 1 over, IND 2/0 (Gill 1, Agarwal 1)
Starc with the first over for Australia. The first delivery is a nip backer and it hits Mayank on the pads. The batsman was clearly last in his reaction. Another nip backer off the third before Mayank gets off the mark with a flick towards backward square leg. Gill flicks the penultimate ball and it hits Matthew Wade at short leg. Another flick from Gill to end the over. Two runs off the first.
08:12 (IST)
Lowest average runs per wicket for Australia in a home Test against India: (20 wickets lost)
18.85, Melbourne, 1977
19.70, Sydney, 1978
19.75, Melbourne, 2020*
08:10 (IST)
Right, we’re back live for the second session. Mayank Agarwal and Shubman Gill begin the chase for India while Mitchell Starc takes the new ball.
07:44 (IST)
The last time before this Test when Australia didn’t have a fifty-plus score in a home Test was against West Indies at MCG in 1988/89.
07:43 (IST)
Players dismissing most lefties in Tests:
192 : Ravichandran Ashwin*
191 : Muttiah Muralitharan
186 : James Anderson
07:42 (IST)
Lowest fourth innings target set by Australia against India in Tests:
50, Chennai, 2013
56, Delhi, 1996
70, MCG, 2020*
07:31 (IST)
After 103.1 overs,Australia 200 ( Mitchell Starc 14 )
OUT! Ashwin bags the final wicket of the innings, clipping the top of off with a delivery that doesn't turn as much, Hazlewood paying the price for a misjudgedment while looking to leave the ball alone. Australia are bowled out for 200, and India need 70 to win the Boxing Day Test and level the series!
With that, it's lunch on Day 4 of the second Test!
Hazlewood b Ashwin 10(21)
07:29 (IST)
After 103 overs,Australia 200/9 ( Mitchell Starc 14 , Josh Hazlewood 10)
Change of ends for Bumrah. Hazlewood steers the ball past gully for a single off the second delivery, with Australia breaching the 200-run mark for the first time in the Test series with that run. Elicits a loud cheer from the MCG crowd. Bumrah ends the over with a searing yorker to Starc for a dot, with just run being added to the Aussie total in this over.
07:24 (IST)
After 102 overs,Australia 199/9 ( Mitchell Starc 14 , Josh Hazlewood 9)
Ashwin brought back, replacing Bumrah 10 minutes before lunch in the extended morning session with a slip and a forward short leg in place. Starc pulls towards deep square leg off the fourth, coming back for a second run. Big appeal for lbw off the last delivery as Ashwin raps Starc on the front pad with a knuckle ball, with umpire Paul Reiffel turning it down. Rahane goes for the review after a bit of a discussion. Wickets ‘Umpire’s Call’ as India retain their review.
07:19 (IST)
After 101 overs,Australia 197/9 ( Mitchell Starc 12 , Josh Hazlewood 9)
Siraj starts off with three dots in this over, before Starc guides a length ball towards deep backward square leg for a single off the fourth. Just the one off the over, with the remaining deliveries going for dots.
India vs Australia 2020 Live score and latest update of 2nd Test at Melbourne: Lyon continues. Deservingly, Rahane pulls and collects the winning run. India have beaten Australia by 8 wickets. They showed great character, bouncing back after the Adelaide 36 horror and bringing parity in the four-match Test series.
At stumps in Melbourne, Australia were 133 for six with Cameron Green on 17 and Pat Cummins on 15 in their second innings as the visitors zeroed in on levelling the series after losing the first Test by eight wickets.
India are doing so with a weakened attack after Umesh Yadav pulled up in his fourth over with a calf problem, limping off the field.
It was a setback for India, who were already missing injured regulars Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma. But the remaining bowlers, led by Ravindra Jadeja (2-25) and Jasprit Bumrah (1-34), admirably picked up the slack.
"I think we played really well. I thought the bowlers came out really strong and bowled in all the right areas. It was good to see," said India captain Ajinkya Rahane.
"But this game is not over yet, we still have to get four more wickets."
India were all out for 326 in their first innings on the stroke of lunch, adding just 49 to their overnight 277 for five in reply to Australia's 195.
It gave them a 131-run lead, courtesy of Rahane's magnificent 112 and Jadeja's 57. Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon took three wickets each.
Australia needed some of their big names to stand tall in the run chase. Opener Matthew Wade did well with a fighting 40 off 137 balls before being trapped lbw by the spin of Jadeja.
But Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and Joe Burns all failed.
Burns lasted just 10 balls, caught by Rishabh Pant off Yadav for four to follow his first-innings duck.
Even if David Warner fails to recover from a groin strain for the next Test in Sydney, it will be hard for selectors to again justify picking Burns, with Marcus Harris among those waiting in the wings.
Labuschagne fell for 28, caught by Rahane off a thick edge from Ravi Ashwin.
At the other end, the usually flamboyant Wade dug in but Smith again went cheaply, bowled by Bumrah for eight.
After Wade departed, Travis Head was the last recognised batsman but he became a victim of paceman Mohammed Siraj on debut, slashing a ball to Mayank Agarwal.
Captain Tim Paine fell to Jadeja for one, leaving Green and Cummins to knuckle down in a 34-run partnership and take the Test into a fourth day.
"Cummo is not an established batsmen, but he has done well for us at this ground in the past and we all know what Greenie is capable of if he can get in," said Wade.
"So it'd be really good for these two to get a nice partnership together, which we haven't done over this Test match."
He added that setting India a target of "anything over a 100 will be good".
Rahane run-out
India started the day at a chilly Melbourne Cricket Ground in front of 24,995 socially-distanced fans with an 82-run advantage after taking charge Sunday with a gutsy response to their embarrassing 36 all out in Adelaide.
But Australia quickly made inroads.
Rahane, captain in place of Virat Kohli who has returned home for the birth of his first child, rode his luck on day two, when he was dropped on 73 and 104.
But after adding eight to his overnight 104, brilliant awareness from Labuschagne saw him run out.
Jadeja, back in the team after missing the first Test injured, dabbed Nathan Lyon to point and set off for a single as he looked to bring up his 50.
Rahane responded but wasn't quick enough with Paine whipping off the bails after Labuschagne's throw.
It ended a 121-run partnership and one of the 32-year-old's most important innings, having come to the crease with India in trouble at 64 for three.
Jadeja brought up his 15th Test half-century before misjudging a Starc bouncer, then Lyon and Josh Hazlewood mopped up the tail.
With inputs from AFP
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