INDIA'S ROAD TO WTC FINAL FADES AWAY

Scott Boland and Pat Cummins led Australia to a massive 184-run victory over India in the Melbourne Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground on Monday.

With the win, Australia took a 2-1 lead in the prestigious BGT series. While India's road to the World Test Championship (WTC) Final at Lord's seems far away, India resumed the third session on Day 05 at 112/3, with still hope of winning the game.

Rishabh Pant (28) and Yashasvi Jaiswal were unbeaten on the crease and started the final session of the match on a good note and faced the Aussie spin attack with confidence.

The 59th over in the third session emerged as the game-changing point for the tourists. Travis Head's spell helped Australia to dismiss Rishabh Pant in the fourth ball of the 59th over. The India wicketkeeper-batter tried to attack the Aussie spinner and sent the ball over the long-on but didn't have enough power to cross the boundary. Mitchell Marsh ran to his left and took a good catch to get rid of Pant.

The Aussie bowling attack rattled the Indian middle-order batters. Ravindra Jadeja, who replaced Pant on the crease, didn't get enough time to settle in. In the 63rd over, Scott Boland came back into the attack and proved his worth. The Aussie pacer removed Jadeja in the 63rd over for two runs. India were 127/5 in the 63rd over.

First inning's hero Nitish Kumar Reddy came on the crease with lots of pressure on his shoulder. The India all-rounder could not put up a show in the second inning as he became the victim of Nathan Lyon's fiery spell.

The Indian all-rounder came on the crease with a hope of cementing a partnership with Yashasvi, but the Aussie spinner got rid of him in the 64th over for just one run. India were 132/6 after the end of the 64th over.

Washington Sundar replaced Nitish on the crease and tried to build a stand with Jaiswal, who tried his best to propel India towards a draw in the match.