On Day 4 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia found runs hard to come by as the Indian pace attack delivered a fiery performance.
Despite reaching 80/2 in 32 overs, the hosts never looked entirely comfortable, though the scorecard seemed encouraging. But the game took a dramatic turn in the next 24 deliveries.
Mohammed Siraj struck first, dismissing Steve Smith, before Jasprit Bumrah wreaked havoc. In a single over, Bumrah removed the dangerous Travis Head and Mitch Marsh.
He struck again in his next over, breaching Alex Carey’s defenses to send him back to the pavilion. With Australia reeling and India in control, the visitors looked poised to capitalize on their advantage.
However, an unexpected twist came in the 40th over. Akash Deep bowled a back-of-length delivery to Marnus Labuschagne, who attempted to guide it behind square.
The shot lacked precision and went straight to Jaiswal, but the youngster fumbled a straightforward chance. Rohit Sharma couldn’t hide his frustration, while Virat Kohli stood in disbelief.
— DJ Sinha (@sdj374531) December 29, 2024
Rishabh Pant, in contrast, walked over to console the visibly upset Jaiswal. The drop didn’t sit well with fans online. Social media erupted with criticism, with many following Rohit’s lead in expressing their disappointment over the missed opportunity.