Mon Dec 30 01:20:00 UTC 2024: ## India Stumbles in Melbourne as Australia Tightens Grip in 4th Test

**Melbourne, Australia** – India’s chase of 340 runs in the fourth Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) took a dramatic turn on Day 5, with the visitors losing wickets at regular intervals. The Indian innings was punctuated by controversial decisions, stunning catches, and a collapse after a promising start.

Early setbacks saw captain Rohit Sharma dismissed for 9 and KL Rahul for a duck, both victims of Pat Cummins in a devastating double-wicket maiden over. Virat Kohli soon followed, falling to Mitchell Starc for 5, leaving India reeling at 33/3.

Yashasvi Jaiswal, who showed promise with a fighting half-century (50 off 127 balls), was involved in a controversial dismissal. The third umpire’s decision to give him out, despite no clear evidence on the snickometer, sparked outrage, with Sunil Gavaskar describing the call as an “optical illusion.” Jaiswal eventually fell short of his debut century, scoring 82 before being dismissed.

Rishabh Pant, initially displaying solid batting, lost his composure and was caught for 30 after a rash pull shot. His dismissal triggered a further collapse. Ravindra Jadeja (2) was another quick victim, caught by Steve Smith off Scott Boland. Nitish Reddy also failed to make a significant contribution.

At tea, India had reached 127/6, a substantial deficit. The remaining batsmen will need to display remarkable resilience to avoid a comprehensive defeat. The match is now delicately poised with Australia in a dominant position. The tense atmosphere and contentious umpiring decisions have made this match highly unpredictable.

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