Quick question: What’s the link between the Indian batting performances on November 1 and December 27, 2024?

If you guessed a late collapse, losing three wickets for almost nothing, a top batter getting run out, and a nightwatchman coming in and out, give yourself a high five.

Unfortunately, the same unfortunate pattern that marked the first day of the final Test against New Zealand in Mumbai showed up again at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday evening during day two of the fourth Test against Australia. In no time, India lost three wickets for just six runs in 22 balls, throwing away all the hard-earned momentum and letting the hosts take control of the Boxing Day Test.

At Wankhede Stadium, the game took a wild turn when Yashasvi Jaiswal got out against the Kiwis. After scoring 30 runs, he attempted a risky reverse-sweep against left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel and ended up losing his off-stump. Mohammed Siraj came in as a nightwatchman, which was a bit odd, and got out leg before on his very first ball. Then, Virat Kohli made things worse by running himself out while trying to play a shot to mid-on, leaving Matt Henry to break the stumps at the non-striker’s end. Just like that, India went from 78 for one to 84 for four in just eight balls, losing three wickets for a mere six runs.

This situation echoed the Melbourne collapse, where Jaiswal, Kohli, and a run out were also involved. Meanwhile, Steve Smith scored his 34th Test century, his second in consecutive matches, and teamed up with Pat Cummins for a solid seventh-wicket partnership that pushed Australia to 474. India’s troubles continued as they lost captain Rohit Sharma early to Cummins, who also bowled a stunning delivery to dismiss KL Rahul just before tea. With the score at 51 for two, India was in a tough spot when Kohli joined the in-form Jaiswal, trying to stop the bleeding from some soft dismissals.

For over two hours, Kohli displayed the kind of patience that made him a formidable batsman until late 2019. He was selective, leaving balls and forcing the bowlers to come to him, while Jaiswal balanced aggression with caution perfectly. The left-hander punished every loose delivery but didn’t try to force any shots. During their 102-run partnership, Australia seemed to run out of ideas.

Another breakdown with under thirty minutes until lunch

With just 25 minutes left before stumps, Jaiswal hit a shot off Scott Boland to mid-on and decided to take a quick, somewhat risky single. Since the ball was played in front of the wickets, it was up to the batter to make the call, and Jaiswal was confident a run was on. Kohli took a couple of steps but then froze in place while Jaiswal kept going. They were right next to each other when Cummins threw the ball to the striker’s end, and Alex Carey did what he had to do. The Australian crowd at the MCG, who had been quiet while the Indian fans celebrated, suddenly found their voice; Jaiswal walked back, saying ‘my call’ after a solid 82. Even on its own, it was a significant moment. But considering what unfolded in the next few minutes, it turned out to be a game-changer.

Kohli spent the whole afternoon carefully avoiding any balls outside off, but it looked like Jaiswal’s wicket was weighing on his mind, messing with his focus. After two and a quarter hours of ignoring anything on the fifth and sixth stumps, he took a risky swipe at Boland and ended up nicking it to Carey. Australia was ecstatic, while Kohli was left in despair. One wicket led to another, and he probably felt like he was to blame for both.

Akash Deep stepped in as the nightwatchman after Jaiswal got out. Was that a smart choice? Looking back, probably not. A lower-order batter facing a top-notch bowling attack doesn’t usually end well. But the nightwatchman has its place in Test cricket history; remember Tony Mann in 1977-78? He scored a century in that role against India in Perth, leading to a surprising win. The nightwatchman’s job is to survive the evening and let the specialist batters take over the next day. England has their own twist on it with the "nighthawk," who goes for runs instead of just defending. Blame it on Bazball. The nightwatchman is a classic part of cricket, and it’s not going away anytime soon.

Deep had previously helped India avoid the follow-on in Brisbane, but this time he fell to a rising delivery from Boland. Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja managed to navigate a few tense moments as they closed out the day, knowing that India’s situation is dire at 164 for five, trailing by 310 runs. What a heavy load to take to bed.

HOW DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE? CHOOSE YOUR EMOTICON!