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Former cricketer Atul Wasan on Monday termed the India's 184 runs defeat to Australia in the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, "a reality check."
"How can you undermine Australia? On the last tour, you did a good job. It doesn't happen like this that you go there (Australia) and win every time. I think we had an overestimation of our team and we got a reality check," Wasan told ANI. This defeat comes in stark contrast to India's previous tour in Australia, where they emerged victorious with a 2-1 series win. This time, however, Australia has taken a 2-1 lead, with the final Test set to be played in Sydney from Friday. In the Melbourne Test, Australia secured a commanding 184-run victory over India. This win significantly dented India's chances of qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) Final at Lord's. Australia set a challenging target of 340 runs for India on the final day. Despite having the entire day to chase the target, India faltered, collapsing for 155 runs in the 80th over, thanks to some fiery spells from the Australian bowlers. Australia knocked India flat in all facets of the game, even though the game was defined by the finest of margins. After being knocked around the MCG in the first innings, India replied boldly in the second innings. With a pace attack spearheaded by Jasprit Bumrah, India had Australia on the ropes after reducing the hosts to 91/6. However, a couple of dropped catches and missed chances gave Australia a window of opportunity to make a strong comeback. The hopes of restricting Australia on a 250-run lead slowly subdued, especially after Nathan Lyon and Scott Boland muscled away a tired Indian bowling unit on Day 4. The 61-run partnership rubbed salt in India's wounds as Australia set a 340-run target for India to chase down. The target played on India's minds and nerves, especially after the top order misfired. The first session left its mark and eventually left India with a pretty "disappointing" result. Pat Cummins was instrumental in Australia's victory, showcasing his prowess with both the bat and the ball, earning him the "Player of the Match" accolade. He has scalped six wickets in the match and 49 and 41 in the 1st and 2nd innings rrespectively. As India heads into the final Test in Sydney, the team faces a crucial challenge not only to level the series but also to reassess their strategies and performance in the wake of Australia's formidable display. (ANI)
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