Australia and India have played many classic Border-Gavaskar Trophy matches on Boxing Day Tests. Played in the festive atmosphere of the holidays, most of these matches have seen the bowlers of both sides dominate. Celebrating the glorious history of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, here we take a look at the five best bowling performances in Boxing Day Tests between the two sides since 1999.
Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah bundled out Australia for just 151 at the MCG in December 2018, giving his side a massive 292-run lead at the halfway stage of the match. With Australia aiming to get close to India's score of 443-7, Bumrah dismissed Marcus Harris and then Shaun Marsh with one of the finest slower deliveries seen in recent times. Bumrah also picked up the wickets of Australia's key batsmen Travis Head, Tim Paine and lower-order batsmen Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood to finish with figures of 6 for 33 in just 15.5 overs. Bumrah picked up three more wickets in the second Australian innings, including that of Aaron Finch, as Team India won the match by 137 runs.
Australia's Ben Hilfenhaus started the 2011-12 edition of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series brilliantly, dismissing Gautam Gambhir at the MCG on Boxing Day, followed by Rahul Dravid, Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni and then taking the big wicket of tailender Ishant Sharma. His spell ended India's chances as the visitors were bowled out for 282 from 214-2, giving Australia a 51-run lead after the first innings.
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Indian captain Anil Kumble restricted Australia to 343 in the first innings after the hosts posted 135-0 in the morning session on the first day of the Boxing Day Test in 2007. The legendary spinner turned the tide in India's favour by dismissing the well-settled Phil Jaques and Australian number four Michael Hussey in quick succession. Anil Kumble also dismissed the dangerous Andrew Symonds and Adam Gilchrist in the space of three overs to take 5 for 84 in 25 overs.
Australian legend Brett Lee got his first Test cap during the Border-Gavaskar Test match on Boxing Day in 1999. The then 23-year-old pacer celebrated the occasion by demolishing India's star-studded batting line-up with his speed and aggression. Taking the field at the MCG, Brett Lee got his first Test five-wicket haul by dismissing Rahul Dravid and then Indian opener Sadagopan Ramesh. In one of his comeback spells, the Australian cricketer demolished the Indian tail-enders and took 5 wickets for 47 runs in 18 overs.
Australia pacer Pat Cummins bowled 34 overs in the first innings of the 2018 Boxing Day Test against India in Melbourne. The veteran pacer picked up three wickets against aggressive batsmen like Cheteshwar Pujara and Mayank Agarwal as India posted 443-7 on the second day. With Australia facing a huge deficit of 292 runs at half-time of the match, Cummins created an outside chance for his side by ripping apart India's top order. The pacer picked up four top-order wickets in the space of just eight balls, including the prized wickets of Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane and then-Indian skipper Virat Kohli.
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