Who said what - top 5 expert reactions to India's defeat in BGT 2024-25 4th Test ft. Yuvraj Singh

The fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 came to a fitting end, as hosts Australia defeated India by 184 runs. The hosts currently lead the five-match series 2-1, with one Test remaining.

Australia dominated most of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne until the Jasprit Bumrah show on Day 4 gave Indian fans a glimpse of hope. However, a 10-wicket stand between Nathan Lyon and Scott Boland and a poor show from Indian batters in their second essay ensured the visitors ended up on the losing side.

Chasing 340 to win, India lost Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, and Virat Kohli early in the innings and were reduced to 33/3. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant rescued the team from choppy waters, stitching together an 88-run partnership. However, Pant's dismissal of a poor shot led to India's downfall. The Men in Blue were eventually bundled out for 155, as Australia won the match by 184 runs.

On that note, let's look at the top five reactions to India's defeat in the BGT 2024-25 fourth Test.

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#1 Irfan Pathan

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan reckoned that senior players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have not delivered in the series so far. Pathan made the comments on Star Sports after India's defeat in the fourth Test of the ongoing five-match series.

While Rohit averages below seven, Kohli has only one century to his name in the series.

"Both the seniors (Rohit and Virat) did not meet expectations. They did not meet their own expectations at all. They are making mistakes. The shot by Virat Kohli—this is neither the first time nor the last time. He is not letting go of the temptation to drive outside the off stump. He has been doing this for many years. Everyone is saying the same thing. Virat Kohli also knows this. We all talk about his discipline—why can’t he bring that discipline onto the field?" Pathan said (via India Today).

The cricketer-turned-commentator went a step ahead and opined that Rohit wouldn't have been in the playing XI had he not been the captain of the side.

"A player who has made about 20,000 runs—yet the way Rohit is struggling now, it seems his form is not supporting him at all. What’s happening now is that he is the captain, so he is playing. If he were not the captain, he might not be playing right now. You would have had a set team. K.L. Rahul would have been playing at the top. Jaiswal would have been there. Shubman Gill would have been there. If we talk about reality, considering how he is struggling with the bat, there might not have been a place for him in the playing XI. But because he is the captain, and you want to win the next match to draw the series, he stays in the team," he added.

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#2 Sunil Gavaskar

India legend Sunil Gavaskar reckoned that Rishabh Pant's dismissal opened the doors for Australia on Day 5. The wicketkeeper-batter holed out to Mitchell Marsh at wide long-on while trying to clear the boundary off Nathan Lyon.

“At that particular point of time there was no need to go for a six, it was not going to win us the match. There was a long on there, there was a deep square leg there, so if a pull shot along the ground would have been attempted it would have got you four runs, and that is how it opened the door for Australia," Gavaskar told India Today via News18.

India lost wickets in clusters following Pant's departure and were eventually bundled out for 155 while chasing 340.

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#3 Michael Vaughan

Former England captain Michael Vaughan believes Australia were the better team in the Melbourne Test. He also reckoned that the poor form of Indian batters hurt the team significantly.

He wrote on X:

"Australia just far too strong overall for India this week .. Made fewer mistakes and I can’t see anything but I Aussie series win now .. India have far too many batters out of form .. #AUSvIND .. P.S .. Very tired after it went 5 days."

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#4 Sanjay Manjrekar

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar reckoned that Yashasvi Jaiswal's runout in the first innings probably took the game away from Rohit Sharma and company. The young opener was run out for 82 in the first innings after a miscommunication with Virat Kohli.

When asked which was the one incident that hurt India the most, Manjrekar told ESPNcricinfo:

"That run out of Jaiswal, I guess, hurt India a little more than the others. One is a set batter like Jaiswal got out because had he got his 100, he gets big ones. And Virat Kohli was looking good and then he got out as well. So it was, you know, they were sort of derailed right at the start."

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#5 Yuvraj Singh

Former World Cup-winning India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh said Australia were better than India across departments. However, he backed Rohit and company to bounce back in Sydney.

"Tough showing for team India! Credit to Australia for an outstanding performance. They outclassed us in all departments. Every game is a lesson and I know our boys will come back stronger. Let’s back our team," he wrote on X.