Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Australia’s struggling top four made unwanted history in Perth by recording the lowest combined runs in the nation’s Test history. After Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith fell cheaply on Monday, the team’s top order woes deepened.
India On The Brink Of Dominant Win
India is closing in on an emphatic victory to kick off the Border-Gavaskar series. By the time the lunch break arrived, Australia had fallen to 5-104, still needing another 430 runs to make a miraculous comeback. India now requires just five more wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
Travis Head’s Valiant Effort
The only bright spot for Australia in the first session of Day 4 was Travis Head, who managed to score a solid 89. He was the sole contributor to Australia’s total, which leaves them with an almost impossible task to avoid defeat.
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Early Collapse Sets The Tone
Resuming at 3-12, Australia added only five more runs before Usman Khawaja was dismissed for just four. His pull shot, which has often been a strength, resulted in a top edge that was caught easily. Steve Smith, who had been dismissed for a golden duck in the first innings, got off to a promising start but then edged Mohammed Siraj behind to Rishabh Pant, who took a brilliant diving catch.
Smith’s Struggles Continue
Smith’s return to No.4, after a stint as an opener, has not gone as planned. The pressure is mounting on both him and Marnus Labuschagne, with Smith having scored fewer than 12 runs in eight of his last ten Test innings.
Historic Low For Australia’s Top Four
Australia’s top four is now officially the worst-performing in the nation’s Test history. The combined total of Nathan McSweeney, Khawaja, Labuschagne, Smith, and Cummins is a meager 29 runs across eight individual innings. This is the lowest ever for Australia’s top four in a Test match. The previous record for the worst performance was 38 runs against England in 1888 at Manchester, with two other instances of 40 runs in 1888 (at Lord’s and the SCG).
The Challenge Ahead: A Record Chase
To make matters worse, Australia is staring down the barrel of a record chase. The highest successful run chase in Test cricket history is 418, achieved by the West Indies in 2003 against Australia in Antigua. With Australia still needing 430 runs, their chances of completing such a chase are extremely slim.
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