The Boxing Day Test in Melbourne reached a thrilling conclusion on Monday, as Australia secured a spectacular 184-run victory over India in the final hour of play.
With less than 14 overs remaining in the day, Nathan Lyon claimed the last Indian wicket, dismissing Mohammed Siraj and sending the MCG crowd of over 74,000 into wild celebrations.
The dramatic finish marked the end of a fierce contest between the two cricketing giants.
This win puts Australia 2-1 up in the five-match Border-Gavaskar series and in a strong position to reclaim the trophy.
To secure it, Australia only needs to avoid defeat in Sydney, with the reigning ICC World Test Championship winners also positioning themselves for a spot in next year’s final at Lord’s.
Australia remains in second place in the World Test Championship standings and has a chance to meet South Africa in the 2025 one-off Test final, provided they win any of their three remaining Tests in the cycle.
India can still qualify for the World Test Championship final, but must win the final Test in Sydney to level the Border-Gavaskar series. They will also need Australia to falter in Sri Lanka next month to keep their hopes alive.
