An unbeaten 55-run stand between Nathan Lyon and Scott Boland for the tenth wicket frustrated India as Australia scored 228 for nine at stumps (in their second innings) on day four at the MCG, leading by 333. Despite getting reduced to 91 for six at one stage, having lost four wickets for 21 balls, the hosts recovered to give themselves a chance of winning the Boxing Day Test.

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Bumrah floored Australia post lunch with three quick wickets, four in total, including bagging his 200th Test wicket – the fastest for an Indian pacer, besides doing at an average of 19.56, again the best-ever.

Meanwhile, day four began with Nitish Kumar Reddy and Mohammed Siraj at the crease, with the pair adding just 11 runs to the overnight tally before Lyon removed Reddy on 114 to wrap up India’s innings on 369. 

With a lead of 105, Australia was ahead in the game; however, not for long. Bumrah accounted for opener Sam Konstas, who bowled on eight before Siraj removed his partner Usman Khawaja on 21 off 65 balls. 

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Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith played through lunch, only for Siraj to return and send Smith packing shortly after. 

His dismissal, however, triggered a middle-order collapse, with Bumrah, in the first over of his second spell, removing Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh.

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In his next over, he cleaned bowled gloveman Alex Carey to put Australia’s back against the wall. 

A situation like that could panic most teams when much more than just a win is on the line, but Captain Pat Cummins and Marnus showed nerves of steel to bail them out of trouble. The pair added 57 runs for the seventh wicket before Siraj got Marnus’ number, leaving the skipper with the tail.

Later, a huge mix-up led to Mitchell Starc’s run out, bringing Lyon to the crease. Cummins departed soon after on 41, scoring 90 runs across both innings in this Test.

Also read: BGT: Mark Waugh voices for Australia's next ‘Symonds’ to replace Marsh in SCG Test

Tail frustrates India

Lyon and Boland had plenty riding on their shoulders, with the earliest aim being to add as many runs as possible.

In an attempt to curb Australia’s ticking run rate, Rohit kept throwing the ball to Bumrah, tiring the Indian pacer after another decisive day at work. Nothing worked.

The pair completed the 50-plus run stand only to save the best for the last over of the day.

After India took the new ball in the penultimate over, Bumrah bowled the last, finding the edge off Lyon, caught in the slips only for him to overstep on that delivery. However, Lyon hitting a four off the last ball was like the final nail in the coffin for India, as the lead now reads 333.

With just one day left in the game, all results are possible.