Australia beat India at MCG to take 2-1 lead in Border-Gavaskar series

Cummins bowled a short ball that appeared to catch Jaiswal’s glove on the way through to wicketkeeper Alex Carey.

Umpire Joel Wilson, responsible for the infamous not out LBW decision of Ben Stokes off Lyon in the Headingley Test of the 2019 Ashes, was not convinced.

Australia reviewed and replays showed a deviation of the ball off the bat, even though there was no spike on Snicko.

Wilson’s finger eventually went up, despite a protest from Jaiswal which could land him in hot water with the match referee, to leave India in peril at 7-140 with 21 overs remaining in the day.

When the 15th and final session of this engrossing Test began, India required 228 runs to win from 228 balls with seven wickets in hand.

Going at six an over has become the norm in white ball cricket but doing it on a wearing day five pitch is an entirely different and difficult challenge.

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It was unclear whether India would try and have a dash in pursuit of a target of 340 or block and bunt their way to a draw.

After 16 overs, India had cautiously made their way to 1-25 before Cummins breathed life into the match and a heaving MCG by removing Rohit Sharma (9) and KL Rahul (0) from the first and last balls of a sensational wicket-maiden.

When Virat Kohli (5) took the bait – not for the first time this series – and edged a Starc delivery outside his off stump to Usman Khawaja at first slip, India were in major strife at 3-33.

Sydney cricket fans have had their fair share of dead rubbers and fixtures devoid of real meaning over the past two decades but have good reason to be excited at what is in store on Friday.

The last time two teams went to Sydney with a trophy still up for grabs in the last fixture of a multi-match series was in 2004 against India, during Steve Waugh’s final Test series. Even then, India made over 700 in the first innings of what was a dull and drawn match.

Cricket Australia is expecting sellouts for the first three days of the SCG Test.