Australia under Tim Paine lost the second Test in Melbourne against India as they drew level in the series. Adding insult to injury, the national team was fined 40 percent of their match fee and also lost four points from the ICC World Test Championship for maintaining a slow over-rate during the course of the Test match. The Border-Gavaskar series is a part of the WTC and thus this is a huge blow for the Australians after the big loss.
Australia Lose Points on WTC Points Table
According to the ICC regulations, teams are deducted two points and 20 percent of their match fee for each over that the team fails to bowl in the allotted time. Meanwhile, Australia are placed second on the WTC points table with 322 points after the removal of four points. They also lead the points table based on percentage (0.766). India are placed second on the points tale with 360 points (0.722) New Zealand (300) and England (292) are placed third and fourth respectively.
Also Read: WTC Finalists To Be Decided on Percentage
Meanwhile, India beat Australia in the Boxing-Day Test match in Melbourne on Tuesday. This was their fourth win at this venue. MCG has now become India’s most successful overseas venue.
India needed 70 to win the second Test and draw level in the series in their second innings. India with Shubman Gill (35) and Ajinkya Rahane (27) chased down the target in the most efficient of manners. Gill looked like he belonged to the big stage as the experience of Rahane helped him to blossom. Mayank Agarwal did not have the best of test matches as he failed in both the innings. He was out for five in the second innings after scoring a duck in the first. Cheteshwar Pujara too fell for a low score of 3.
Also Read: Ajinkya Rahane Credits His Team As India Level Border-Gavaskar Trophy
In the end, it was Gill and Rahane’s unbeaten 51-run stand that saw India through and helped them level terms in the series. Rahane credited all the team members for putting in their bit behind this historic win in many ways.
Indian head coach Ravi Shastri and skipper Virat Kohli have also reacted to this historic Test win in Melbourne.
