Page 40 - The Indian EYE 011725

SPORTS JANUARY 17, 2025 | The Indian Eye 40

More Than Just a Game:

The Enduring Appeal of Test Cricket

While the 3-1 scoreline might seem decisive, it doesn’t fully capture the high quality and

competitiveness of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series Down Under

ARCHAN MEHTA

Melbourne
itnessing legends unfold be-
fore our very eyes, amidst
Wthe thunderous roar of a ca-
pacity crowd at the Melbourne Crick-
et Ground, is an unparalleled privi-
lege. I was fortunate to be a part of
this timeless drama. The 2024 Boxing The 2024 Boxing Day Test between Australia and India at the MCG set a new Australian Test Jasprit Bumrah was undoubtedly the best
Day Test between Australia and India attendance record player of the series. Photos: Archan Mehta
at the MCG set a new Australian Test
attendance record, with 373,691 fans Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, re- Sydney, with Jasprit Bumrah assum- Debutant Beau Webster also contrib-
over five days (December 26-30), sur- lentlessly applied pressure, extracting ing captaincy. Rohit’s average for uted significantly, scoring his maiden
passing the previous record of 350,534 movement and capitalizing on India’s the series was a dismal 6.2, and his 50. These performances helped Aus-
from a six-day Test in 1937. tentative batting. This clinical perfor- overall form in recent Tests has been tralia secure a 3-1 series victory. Steve
Daily crowds peaked on Day 1 at mance was a testament to Australia’s concerning. Notably, Virat Kohli, a Smith, just one run short of 10,000
87,242 despite 40°C heat, underscor- superior planning and execution un- prominent figure in the series, be- Test runs, will have to wait until the
ing the immense draw of India-Aus- der pressure. came the subject of a running meme, first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle
tralia contests, now rivaling the his- The match itself was a testament highlighting the contrast between a later this month for his next opportu-
toric Ashes in excitement and fan to the drama and excitement that boomerang and a ball bowled outside nity to achieve this milestone.
engagement. While the world record Test cricket offers. After a heavy de- off-stump to him. For India, the key takeaways
for Test match attendance belongs to feat in Perth, Australia bounced back Bumrah, who had bowled a from this series include the outstand-
the opening match of the 1999 Asian with a dominant performance led by mammoth 152.1 overs in the series ing performance of Jasprit Bum-
Test Championship at Eden Gardens, Pat Cummins, who excelled with both with 32 wickets at an exceptional rah, who was undoubtedly the best
Kolkata, where Pakistan defeated In- bat and ball, earning the Player of the 13.06 average, had to undergo scans player of the series. Youngsters like
dia by 46 runs in front of an unprec- Match award. Scott Boland, the local as the medical team monitored his Yashasvi Jaiswal and Nitish Kumar
edented crowd of 465,000 over five favorite, made a critical impact by dis- condition of back spasms. He was Reddy showed great promise with
days, the MCG’s record-breaking mantling the Indian lower order. Aus- unable to bowl after lunch on day 2, their resilience and grit. While the
attendance highlights the enduring tralia ultimately won the series 2-1. leaving a gaping hole for other Indian 3-1 scoreline might seem decisive, it
popularity of Test cricket in Australia. The 5th and final Sydney Test bowlers to fill. This injury is particu- doesn’t fully capture the high quali-
India’s cautious approach in the started with a fiery exchange between larly worrying given Bumrah’s histo- ty and competitiveness of the series.
first innings, while understandable Konstas and Bumrah, injecting an ex- ry of a stress fracture in 2022, which As the great Sachin Tendulkar aptly
given the conditions, proved counter- tra dose of drama into the proceed- sidelined him for a year. His fitness observed, Test cricket is not dying; if
productive as they struggled to chase ings. This incident, coupled with the will be critical for India, not just in anything, it is thriving because true
the target. The Jaiswal dismissal ig- competitive nature of the series and this crucial match but also in ensuring cricket fans value the battle between
nited a debate about the reliability the high-quality cricket on display, long-term sustainability in a packed bat and ball over five days. There’s no
of DRS technology, with questions further heightened the excitement. cricketing calendar. better spectacle.
arising over the use of snicko in mar- Rohit Sharma, struggling with poor Scott Boland was the player of Archan Mehta is a writer dedicated to
ginal decisions. Meanwhile, Austra- form throughout the Australia tour, the match, with 6 for 45 in the sec- telling compelling stories about athletes,
lia’s bowling attack, spearheaded by “chose to rest” for the final Test in ond innings and 4 for 31 in the first. teams, and the world of cricket

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