Australia's late surge leaves India struggling in Boxing Day Test

India experienced a significant setback with a disastrous run-out, as Scott Boland (35) claimed two wickets, leaving the visitors in a precarious position at 164 for five on the second day of the fourth Test on Friday.

This occurred after Steve Smith (35) had once again showcased his prowess, scoring a remarkable century that contributed to Australia’s formidable total of 474.

Having ended a scoring drought with a century of 101 in the drawn third Test in Brisbane, Smith continued to be a formidable adversary for India, achieving a record 11th century against them, culminating in a score of 140 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

In response, Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal (82) and Virat Kohli (36) formed a resilient partnership of 102 runs after tea, instilling hope for the tourists as they aimed to chase down Australia’s total.

However, Jaiswal's moment of indecision late in the session proved costly; he hit the ball directly to Australia’s captain Pat Cummins and mistakenly called for a single that was not available.

Kohli attempted to send him back, but Cummins swiftly threw the ball to wicketkeeper Alex Carey, who successfully removed the bails, leaving Jaiswal to depart in disappointment.

"It was a nice wicket. Breaking that partnership was crucial," Smith remarked to the media.

"The last hour was significant for us."

The run-out provided Australia with an opportunity, which Boland seized by dismissing Kohli, who edged the ball behind on one of the rare occasions his bat strayed from his body.

Boland then sent Akash Deep back to the pavilion without scoring, as the nightwatchman edged the ball onto his pads, allowing Nathan Lyon to execute a sharp, low catch.

This left Ravindra Jadeja (four not out) and Rishabh Pant (six not out) with the daunting task of mounting a substantial rescue effort, as India trailed by 310 runs and required 111 runs to avoid the follow-on.

The five-match series currently stands at 1-1, yet India has been outperformed since their initial victory in Perth, with rain preventing a loss in the drawn Test in Brisbane.

There is a possibility of rain on the third day in Melbourne; however, it is not expected to affect the outcome of the match.

Australia owes much of their significant lead to Smith, with Cummins providing excellent support.

The duo formed a partnership of 112 runs, propelling Australia past the 400-run mark before Cummins was dismissed for 49 while attempting an aggressive shot.

Cummins later claimed two wickets, intensifying the pressure on India by dismissing captain Rohit Sharma for three runs and KL Rahul for 24 with a delivery that sharply turned back off the seam.

Returning to his usual opening position, Rohit squandered his wicket with a careless pull shot, resulting in a catch by Boland.

Having scored three, six, and ten while batting at number six in the second and third Tests in Adelaide and Brisbane, India's 37-year-old captain has not exceeded 18 runs in his last eight innings.

In contrast, Smith achieved his 34th Test century and second of the series with a well-timed off-drive for four runs off all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy.

He partnered with tailender Mitchell Starc (15) to add 44 runs, pushing Australia past 450 before his innings of 197 balls concluded in an unfortunate manner.

While advancing down the pitch against seamer Deep, Smith edged the ball onto his pads, and it fortuitously deflected onto the leg stump, dislodging a single bail.

Jasprit Bumrah once again led India's bowling attack with figures of 4-99, highlighting the team's heavy dependence on their pace leader.

Conversely, fellow pacer Mohammed Siraj had a disappointing outing, finishing without a wicket and conceding 122 runs.

India's all-rounder Washington Sundar expressed confidence in the team's ability to "bat big" on the pitch for day three.

"The atmosphere in the dressing room is very positive, and we are all feeling good," he stated to reporters.

"It will be crucial for us to fight hard and achieve our objectives."