Fri Jan 03 16:43:26 UTC 2025: ## Gill’s Poor Form Continues, Falls Victim to Smith’s Mind Games in Melbourne Test

**Melbourne, Australia** – Shubman Gill’s return to the Indian team for the fifth and final Test against Australia ended in disappointment, as he was dismissed for 20, adding to his struggles outside of Asia. More notable than the score, however, was the manner of his dismissal, which saw him fall victim to a clever psychological ploy by veteran Australian batsman Steve Smith.

With lunch approaching, Gill attempted to delay play by tapping his bat. This prompted an audible outburst from Smith (“This is bull****,” and “Oi, let’s play.”), which sparked a brief exchange between the two players and Marnus Labuschagne. Distracted, Gill edged the very next ball from Nathan Lyon to Smith at slip.

Gill’s dismissal, shortly before lunch, contributed to India’s overall poor performance, with the team collapsing to 185 after Virat Kohli’s quick follow-up dismissal. While Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja offered some resistance, the innings ultimately failed to recover.

The loss in Melbourne eliminates India from contention for the Border Gavaskar Trophy. However, they still have an opportunity to draw the series and retain the trophy with a win in the final Test in Sydney.

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