Join us for updates, analysis and colour as the second Test heads for a conclusion
Welcome to our live report of the fourth day of the Australia-India Test from Melbourne. Join us for updates, analysis and colour. You can find our traditional ball-by-ball commentary here
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10.00am: A twist to come?
India are on the brink. Australia lead by just two runs with Cameron Green and the bowlers to try and haul the lead towards something defendable. It’s a huge ask. Even if India don’t break through straightaway the new ball is available in 14 overs. Still, stranger things have happened and in this of all years we probably shouldn’t rule out anything. If India do wrap up the game it will have to go down as one of their finest ever victories: bowled out for 36, Virat Kohli goes home, Mohammed Shami injured and then yesterday Umesh Yadav limps off as well.
Plenty of questions for Australia to ponder especially around a batting line-up that has completely lost its shape. The return of David Warner can’t come soon enough. They won’t make wholesale changes (for one, the biosecure bubble doesn’t really allow it) but there isn’t really a player in the top six who can claim to have played at the top of their game yet – although a nod to Matthew Wade for how he has adapted to opening.
Ricky Ponting did not hold back in his criticism of hosts Australia, whose major troubles in approach were exposed by a clinical India #AUSvIND
https://t.co/cAiLxmWfJr pic.twitter.com/DEHS5rleKi
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) December 28, 2020
Andrew McGlashan is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo