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Grading every player in the Boxing Day Test as Australia pulls off remarkable victory
Nic Negrepontis • December 30th, 2024 7:31 pm
A historic Boxing Day Test is in the books, breaking the record for most fans ever to attend an Australian Test match across five days.
The match itself lived up to the fervour, coming down to the wire on Day 5.
Australia had a full day to bowl India out and take a series lead, and things looked unlikely when Jaiswal and Pant batted out an entire session before tea.
However, Pant threw his wicket away and the Aussies capitalised, ultimately taking the final wicekt with nearly an hour to spare.
The Series now heads to Sydney, with India able to retain the Border-Gavaskar trophy with a win, otherwise it returns to Australian soil.
Here are our grades for all 22 players following the Boxing Day Test.
Australia
Sam Konstas: A-
Yes, the Indians adjusted in the second innings and he got a peach from Bumrah, but Sam Konstas set the tone for the entire Test, energised the veteran batsmen around him and helped set Australia's early advantage with his first innings 60.
Usman Khawaja: B
Batted well and absorbed 186 balls at the top of the order for scores of 57 and 21. He'll hope to take that into Sydney and hopefully turn it into a few more runs.
Marnus Labuschagne: A
Has found his touch after seeming on the precipice of omission. Scores of 72 and 70 were the bedrock for the Aussies in both innings.
Steven Smith: A+
Century number 34 in the first innings for the great Steve Smith, who continues to prove he has a lot of cricket left in him. His work in the slips cordon should not go unmentioned either.
Travis Head: F
From hero to 0 ... and then 1. The Indians came with a plan for Travis Head and it was enormously effective. Can he bounce back in Sydney? Took a wicket, though!
Mitch Marsh: F
Mitch Marsh likely won't get the chance to bounce back in Sydney, with both his batting and bowling proving largely ineffective.
Alex Carey: C+
Looked good in the first innings and has been in good touch generally across the series, without making a heap of runs. He'll get another chance in Sydney.
Pat Cummins: A+
Broke the Indian top order open in the second innings and got the key wicket of Jaiswal to finish the Indian resistance. He also dug in for 90 vital runs across the Test. The skipper couldn't have done much more.
Mitchell Starc: B-
Dealt with a niggling back issue that may have held him back and didn't many wickets, but beat the bat consistently and helped build pressure. Just didn't totally go his way.
Nathan Lyon: B
Took three wickets in the first innings and looked dangerous in the second with the ball turning. Got the big wicket of Reddy on Day 5 before finishing the Test with the dismissal of Siraj.
Scott Boland: A
Bobbed up when it mattered most across the Test and was also incredibly solid with the bat! Got Kohli and Pant in the first innings, before cleaning up the tail on Day 5.
India
Yashasvi Jaiswal: A+
Has announced himself on the world stage as India's next star batsman. Looked extremely comfortable out there against an elite bowling attack. His work in the second innings nearly saved the day. Jaiswal has an enormous future ahead of him.
Rohit Sharma: F
Will this be the Indian captain's last Test? On merit, it should be. He has been unable to make any runs, regardless of where he's put himself in the XI.
KL Rahul: D
Only faced 47 balls and made a duck in the second innings, handing early momentum to the Aussies.
Virat Kohli: C-
Not Kohli's Test, despite digging in for 86 balls in the first innings. Gone cheaply for five in the second innings. Will also hopefully avoid attempts to intimidate teenagers, but we'll leave that up to him.
Rishabh Pant: B
Made 58 runs across the Test, but his role batting out an entire session on Day 5 is what gave India any hope of making it through the day. However, a rash stroke gave his wicket away and ultimately began the team's downfall.
Ravindra Jadeja: C+
Bowled well, removing Konstas and Cummins who were both in full control in the first innings. Didn't add much with the bat and couldn't dig in when needed in the second innings.
Nitish Kumar Reddy: A+
Reddy's days batting at number eight are likely over after belting 114 in the first innings to keep the Test alive for India. Wasn't a factor with the ball, but will stick around on his batting anyway.
Washington Sundar: B+
Took the vital wicket of Marnus Labuschagne in the first innings and backed it up with a 50, allowing Reddy to make his 100. While he wasn't used a heap as a bowler across the Test, his work with the bat vindicated the selectors.
Akash Deep: B
Bowled better than his figures ultimately suggested and proved a great partner for Bumrah, who ultimately did all the damage.
Jasprit Bumrah: A++
The best fast bowler in the world? The best bowler in the world, period? The best Test cricketer on the planet right now? Of the last few years? Stop me when this feels like hyperbole.
Mohammed Siraj: B-
Siraj was poor in the first innings, failing to take a wicket and conceding 122 runs at 5.3 per over, but fought back in the second innings with the wickets of Khawaja, Labuschagne and Smith.
