Fri Dec 27 11:22:09 UTC 2024: ## India Stumbles on Day 2 in Melbourne, Trailing Australia by 310 Runs
**Melbourne, Australia:** India ended Day 2 of the fourth Test against Australia in a precarious position, trailing by a massive 310 runs at 164/5. A disastrous final session saw the visitors lose three quick wickets, undermining a promising partnership earlier in the day.
Yashasvi Jaiswal (82) and Virat Kohli (36) had steadied the ship with a 102-run stand for the third wicket. However, a calamitous mix-up led to Jaiswal’s dismissal, and Kohli followed shortly after, both falling victim to Scott Boland’s incisive bowling. Boland further dented India’s hopes by dismissing nightwatchman Akash Deep for a duck.
Earlier, India’s woes began with the loss of KL Rahul just before Tea, leaving them struggling at 51/2. Captain Rohit Sharma’s decision to promote himself to opener backfired spectacularly, as he was dismissed for a paltry 3 runs.
Australia, resuming their innings at 331/8, declared on 474 after a dominant first session. Steve Smith anchored the innings, reaching his 34th Test century before lunch. The Australians added 143 runs in just 27 overs before declaring, setting a daunting target for India. The match remains firmly in Australia’s control heading into Day 3.
First Piper 