Delhi Disaster: India retain Border-Gavaskar Trophy after familiar Australian collapse

Australia’s performance this tour has done little to conquer their subcontinental demons with back-to-back second innings collapses handing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to India after the hosts claimed a six-wicket victory in Delhi last night.

Allrounder Ravindra Jadeja claimed back-to-back Player of the Match awards as the Indian faithful went into a frenzy.

Now trailing 2-0 in the best-of-four series, Australia’s rotten luck continued with news this morning breaking that skipper Pat Cummins would return home due to personal reasons.

The Australians won the toss in Delhi and elected to bat posting a modest 263 on Day 1.

Usman Khawaja put together a fine 81 before a reverse sweep went awry handing Jadeja the 250th wicket of his Test career.

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Peter Handscomb made a very handy unbeaten 72 whilst Cummins added a needed 33.

Steve Smith and Alex Carey both fell for nought with Ravichandran Ashwin tearing through the Australian middle order.

At 1-for-91, Australia looked to have perhaps found their sea legs before losing 5-for-77 and putting themselves in a far more precarious position.

Mohammed Shami cleaned things up and finished with 4-for-60 with Jadeja and Ashwin each snagging three.

A superb Nathan Lyon spell got Australia right in the game with the veteran offspinner claiming the wickets of K.L. Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, and Shreyas Iyer before Todd Murphy dismissed Jadeja and debutant Matthew Kuhnemann found the wicket of Virat Kohli.

A 114-run, eighth-wicket stand between Ashwin and Axar Patel – who hit a stunning 84 in Nagpur – stung the Australians who had the hosts at 7-for-139 before letting things slip away.

Cummins and co. still managed to restrict India to 262 and keep themselves well in the contest.

Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne had Australia in a strong position at 1-for-61 at stumps of Day 2 as they looked to even up the series and keep their Border-Gavaskar dream alive.

Head departed cheaply early on Day 3 before Smith added just nine.

Australia then went from 3-for-95 to 7-for-95 in the space of 11 balls to all but throw away yet another match that they put themselves in a position to get the job done.

Head and Labuschagne were the only Australians to reach double-figures as they plummeted towards a total of just 113.

Their final eight wickets fell for just 28 runs in one of the most gut-wrenching batting collapses in recent memory.

Sweep after sweep ended in agony for the visitors who could only sit and shake their heads at a chance gone begging.

Jadeja finished with an absurd 7-for-42 whilst Ashwin took 3-for-59.

Chasing just 114, India were destined to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on their home turf.

Lyon claimed Rahul’s wicket again early before a mix-up between Sharma and Pujara saw the Indian skipper run out.

Pujara and K.S. Bharat, however, took over the reins and hit India to a comprehensive victory.

The scene of the series now shifts to Indore on 1 March as the hosts continue their quest to become the highest-ranked team in Test cricket.

Australia will continue to sweat on the fitness of Mitchell Starc and Cameron Green as they attempt to steady the ship prior to the World Test Championship and Ashes later this year.