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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