BGT 2024-25: When was the last time Australia defeated India in a test match at the MCG?

Australia lost last two tests against India at the MCG.

Australia have taken complete control of the ongoing Boxing Day test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Choosing to bat first, they capitalized on the excellent batting conditions over the first two days.

Steve Smith (140) starred for Australia, registering the 34th hundred of his test career, while Sam Konstas, Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne chipped in with a half-century each. Late resistance from Pat Cummins (49) and Mitchell Starc (15) powered Australia to a daunting 474-run total in their first innings.

India’s experiment to reshuffle the batting order and get Rohit Sharma back as an opener didn’t work, with the skipper managing just three runs. Their best batter of the tour, KL Rahul, fared well but got bowled to a jaffa from Pat Cummins.

Just when things started to settle down for India with a 102-run partnership between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli, the opener was run out while attempting a quick single.

The visitors are in trouble at 164/5 after Day 2. Rishabh Pant (6*) and Ravindra Jadeja (4*) are at the crease, with the team still needing 110 runs to avoid the follow-on.

The current situation where the game stands, it isn’t in the favour of the visitors, who won their last two tests at the MCG in 2018 and 2020. On that note, let’s take a look at the last time when Australia defeated India at the MCG in a test match.

When was the last time Australia defeated India in a test match at the MCG?

Australia’s last victory over India at the MCG in test cricket came during the BGT 2011-12. The Boxing Day test was also the first test of that four-match series.

Opting to bat first, half-centuries from Ricky Ponting and Ed Cowan helped Australia post a first-innings total of 333. In reply, India started well and reached 213/2 but a late collapse saw them get bowled out for 282.

Building on their 51-run lead, Australia made 240 runs in their second innings. Michael Hussey and Ricky Ponting led the charge for the hosts, scoring 89 and 60 runs, respectively. Chasing a target of 292, India were dismissed for just 169, with James Pattinson picking up a four-wicket haul.

Pattinson was named Player of the Match for taking six wickets and scoring 37 runs in the game. The MCG defeat was the start of a horrific 4-0 thumping for India.

After that game in 2011, India drew the MCG test in 2014 and then won two consecutive MCG tests in 2018 and 2020.

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