India were left frustrated at the end of day four of the MCG Test, allowing Australia to recover from 228-9 after reducing them to 91-6, courtesy of an unbeaten 55 stand for the tenth wicket.

India were left frustrated at the end of day four of the MCG Test, allowing Australia to recover after reducing them to 91-6, courtesy of an unbeaten 55 stand for the tenth wicket.

India conceded a 105-run lead after being bowled out for 369 in their first innings. Centurion Nitish Kumar Reddy was the last batter to fall for the visitors, departing for an 189-ball 114. India had fallen to 221-7 at one stage before a 127-run partnership between Washington Sundar and Reddy brought them back.

The first two sessions of day four belonged to India as some high-intensity bowling saw Australia fall to 91-6. However, the tail wagged enough to push the hosts to the front foot. Australia are 228-9, already with a lead of 333, and would hope their tenth wicket stand can further add to India’s misery.

When Boland, with a batting average of 5.87, walked out at No.11, India anticipated a quick end to the innings, but they will need to walk out with the ball again after the last pair successfully thwarted India’s attempts. Lyon and Boland batted together for 17.5 overs, forcing India to take the new ball and push Australia’s lead further.

Their unbeaten 55 is the third-best tenth-wicket partnership for Australia against India, on par with the 55-run partnership that Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc had stitched together in Pune in 2017.

The list is led by James Anderson and Joe Root, who had stitched 198 runs together for the last wicket at Nottingham in 2014. The only other 100-plus stand for the tenth wicket against India is 104, which was made by Pakistan’s Amar Elahi and Zulfiqar Ahmed in 1952.

Highest tenth-wicket partnerships against India

Partnership Batters Team and year
198 James Anderson-Joe Root ENG, 2014
104 Amir Elahi-Zulfiqar Ahmed PAK, 1952
98* Wes Hall-Frank Worrell WI, 1962
97* Andy Flower-Henry Olonga ZIM, 2000
81* Imran Khan-Tauseef Ahmed PAK, 1987
77 Allan Border-Dave Gilbert AUS, 1985
74 Allan Donald-Brian McMillan SA, 1996
70 Paul Allott-Bob Wilis ENG, 1982
68 Graeme Hick-Phil Tiufnell ENG, 1993
66 Paul Collingwood-Monty Panesar ENG, 2006
66 Moises Henriques-Nathan Lyon AUS, 2013
64 Muttiah Muralidaran-Ruchira Perera SL, 2001
61 Richard Collinge-John Ward NZ, 1965
60 Devon Malcolm-Robin Smith ENG, 1990
57 Robin Hobbs-John Murray ENG, 1967
55* Scott Boland-Nathan Lyon AUS, 2024
55 Geoff Millman-David Smith ENG, 1962
55 Josh Hazlewood-Mitchell Starc AUS, 20017
52 Peter Petherick-Andy Roberts NZ, 1976
52 Jim Higgs-Kevin Wright AUS, 1979
52 Jacques Kallis-Lonwabo Tsotsobe SA, 2011
51 Winston Davis, Jeff Dujon WI, 1983

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