Australia set India an unlikely 384 to win from 70 overs, but neither side were able to force a win on day 5 at the MCG. Virat Kohli again shined with the bat for India as Ryan Harris managed to conjured up more wickets from the 5th day pitch.
Shaun Marsh pushed closer towards his century with some flashy shots as the Australian innings narrowed towards a close.
Ryan Harris exited adding 21 runs to his first innings tally of 74 after edging behind to Dhoni off the bowling of Shami.
Marsh was stopped agonisingly short on 99 runs, run out by the Australian antagoniser Virat Kohli after attempting to sneak a single down to mid-on. With Marsh gone, stand-in captain Steve Smith called the batsmen in after declaring on 9/318.
India needed 384 to win and keep the series alive from the remaining 70 overs and the Aussies had to bowl out the tourists to claim their third win in a row.
The innings started very brightly for the Australians. Ryan Harris trapped Dharwan LBW with his second ball and Mitchell Johnson removed Rahul in the next over to have the Indians biting their nails at 2/5.
Josh Hazlewood chimed in with a gem on the toes of Vijay sending him to the showers for 11 runs, out LBW and India reeling at 3/19.
Proving throughout the series that they can not rely on their tail to bat, India once again thrust the responsibility of the innings upon the shoulders of Kohli and Rahane. The two combined well again to stem the flow of wickets and regain some composure within the ranks of the Indian batting line-up.
Kohli hit a calm and collected half-century, often hitting the ball straight into the ground as though he was making a statement, “We will not give in!”
Kohli lost his composure during the tea break and was caught out as he flicked a ball off his pads to Joe Burns at square leg on the first ball of the evening session for 55. Ryan Harris made the breakthrough, his second of the innings and 6th for the match.
Australia had to wait another 15 overs for the next wicket when Johnson bowled Pujarra with and excellent leg-cutter that sent the Aussies into a spin. The scent of victory once again filled the air, but the Indians did not give in.
Hazlewood bowled well to have Rahane caught by Marsh at square leg off a mistimed pull shot in the 55th over, but fantasy was being overtaken by reality.
MS Dhoni and Ravi Ashwin remained at the crease until both captains decided the game should end with four overs remaining.
Australia regain the Border/Gavaskar trophy as they currently lead the series 2-0 with only the test in Sydney left to play beginning on Tuesday the 6th of January.
Man of the match Ryan Harris, who accumulated 95 runs and 6 wickets, commented on the draw after the match reflecting on the decision made by Steve Smith to bat on.
“Today’s disappointing, we wanted to win the series, that’s how we started out the day,” Harris said.
“The question’s going to be ‘did we bat too long?’ No we didn’t, we wanted to win the series, we didn’t want to give India a sniff.
“They had to draw the series to retain the trophy, we had to win it.”
