Skipper Pat Cummins hails Steve Smith’s masterclass and Marnus Labuschagne’s resilience as Australia secures a commanding 184-run win over India, tightening their grip on the WTC Final spot.
Melbourne [Australia], December 30: Australian skipper Pat Cummins lauded Steve Smith’s outstanding performance in the Melbourne Test against India, calling the veteran batter “brilliant” after their emphatic 184-run victory in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
With this win, Australia now leads the series 2-1, while India’s path to the World Test Championship (WTC) Final becomes increasingly uncertain.
In the first innings, Steve Smith delivered a stellar knock of 140 runs off 197 balls, featuring 13 fours and 3 sixes. Though he scored a modest 13 runs in the second innings, his slip-catching played a crucial role in bolstering Australia’s bowling attack.
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Pat Cummins expressed his satisfaction with the team’s performance and praised Smith’s batting and Labuschagne’s valuable contribution in the second innings.
“What an amazing Test match, I reckon one of the best I’ve been part of. The crowd has been fantastic all week. Marnus helped me out in the second innings, and Steve’s knock was just brilliant. Winning the toss on a tricky first day and scoring over 400 runs was terrific. We wanted to ensure an Indian victory was out of the equation,” Cummins said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
Marnus Labuschagne’s gritty 70-run knock from 139 balls in the second innings, combined with his vital 57-run partnership with Cummins, helped Australia set a daunting target of 340 for India.
Cummins also highlighted Smith’s often-overlooked brilliance in the slips:
“Smith just showed how to bat on that wicket. He was brilliant with the bat and also took some crucial catches. Sometimes, those contributions go unnoticed, but they are game-changing moments.”
Australia’s bowlers, led by Pat Cummins, Scott Boland, and Nathan Lyon, dismantled India’s batting lineup on the final day, restricting them to 155 runs in 80 overs.
Cummins, who delivered a remarkable all-round performance with both bat and ball, was rightfully named the ‘Player of the Match’.
As the teams prepare for the next Test in Sydney, Australia remains firmly in control of the series, while India faces mounting pressure to secure a spot in the WTC Final.
