Dec 2024: Australia posted 445 in their first innings, with Travis Head scoring 152, Steven Smith 101, and Alex Carey 70. Bumrah was the standout bowler for India, taking 6 wickets for 76 runs. In response, India made 260, with KL Rahul scoring 84 and Ravindra Jadeja contributing 77. Australia’s Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc took 4 and 3 wickets, respectively. India’s second innings started with 8 for 0 before rain stopped play.
On the fifth day, Australia took India’s final wicket early, securing a 185-run lead. Australia then declared their second innings at 89 for 7, setting India a target of 275 from 54 overs. However, only 2.1 overs were possible due to bad light and rain, leaving the match drawn.
Australia’s brief innings on the last day showed the potential for a result had the weather held up. There was a lot of seam movement, and India’s bowlers, including Bumrah and Siraj, made quick work of Australia’s batters. Australia, however, played aggressively, promoting Mitchell Marsh to No. 4 and taking their chances. The fast pace of the pitch allowed quick runs, but their wickets fell quickly in the process. Had the rain not intervened, both teams could have imagined a possible victory, but the draw was likely the best outcome for the series, with both teams now tied at 1-1 heading into the next Test.
The declaration by Australia reminded many of the rare event in the 1950 Test at the same ground, where both teams declared at very low scores due to a difficult pitch. Bumrah, who had been bowling well and was close to taking his first ten-wicket match, may have been a bit disappointed by the early end of play.
