WATCH: Rishabh Pant’s direct throw at non-strikers end sends Mitchell Starc packing after good-up with Pat Cummins

WATCH: Rishabh Pant’s direct throw at non-strikers end sends Mitchell Starc packing after good-up with Pat Cummins (Photo Source: Morgan Hancock – CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)

After Jasprit Bumrah wreaked havoc in the second session of Day 2, the tail started to bother India in the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground. Marnus Labuschagne scored 70 while Pat Cummins proved effective as well. The wicket of Labuschagne was expected to give some relief to the visitors but India struggled against the pair of Cummins and Mitchell Starc as well. They were desperate to get a wicket and it came at an unexpected time and manner.

Cummins and Starc completed a single but the latter wanted to run two. However, the Australian captain refused. Meanwhile, the ball was thrown towards the keeper and given that Starc was much ahead of his crease, Pant decided to throw it directly towards the stumps at the non-striker’s end, despite Bumrah being close to it. Nevertheless, the ball went to smash the stumps as Starc was slightly behind the crease. It ended his stay as the pacer was dismissed for five.

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Meanwhile, even after Starc’s wicket, India failed to wrap up the tails easily. Bumrah continued with his spell but he couldn’t clear the tail. Cummins batted brilliantly in the middle while Nathan Lyon wasn’t tested enough in the initial phase. India would be hoping to pick up the remaining two wickets quickly, or else they will be under enormous pressure in the final innings.

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In case the hosts end up posting a target of over 300 runs, it will be difficult for the Rohit Sharma-led side to get the job done on the final day. The captain himself is under the microscope as his career is said to be on the line and may get sacked and removed from the squad in case India fail to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The win will also help the visitors get an inch closer to the World Test Championship finale.