After a remarkable victory in Adelaide, the Australian cricket team suffered a major setback during the boxing day test. The hosts were thoroughly outclassed in every department by India. The visitors managed to bring parity in the series by winning the boxing day test by eight wickets. To rub salt on the wounds, the Australian team was fined 40 percent of their match fee for keeping slow over-rate during the boxing day test.
Along with the monetary fine, Australia has also been handed a penalty of four points in the World Test Championship. The hosts were handed fine on the end of the fourth and final day of the test. Despite points deduction, Australia remains top of the points table in the World Test Championship.
As per the new regulations imposed by the International Cricket Council (ICC), a team is charged 20 percent of fine and two points for each over that is not bowled in the allotted time. The Australian team will have to make sure that they don’t repeat the same offence in the next couple of test matches as every point is going to be vital in the test championship.
Australia managed to set a target of 70 runs for India in the second innings after resilient batting by the lower order. After two early wickets, India easily chased down the target courtesy of some attacking batting by Shubman Gill and Ajinkya Rahane. The series is evenly poised ahead of the final two test matches.
India can retain the trophy by avoiding defeats in both games. Meanwhile, Australia will be eager to strengthen their hold at the top of the table in the ICC Test Championship table by winning the last two tests.