India has won the third Test at the MCG by 137 runs to take a 2-1 lead in the four test series.

Virat Kohli’s team now just needs a draw in the fourth Test in Sydney to complete a historic first ever Test series win in Australia.

WICKET: Lyon goes for 7.
India win by 137 runs.

📺 Watch LIVE on Fox Cricket & 📰 join our match centre: https://t.co/1X1BKu1snw #AUSvIND #FoxCricket pic.twitter.com/hSImog4L93

— Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) December 30, 2018

India will also retain the Border-Gavaskar trophy following their victory in Melbourne. The win was only India’s third in Test matches at the MCG having last won there in 1981.

The rain gods looked like they may have been wearing baggy green caps on the morning of the final day as the first session was lost to persistent rain.

After an early lunch break, play resumed just before 1 pm and any hopes of a stirring Australian rearguard action were quickly quashed when Jasprit Bumrah found the edge of Pat Cummins (63)  bat to have him caught at slip.

Cummins innings on day four was one of courage and class but he was unable to repeat the heroics of the previous day.  With his departure it was only a matter of time before India secured the victory it seemed the rain might deny them.

When Nathan Lyon (7) top-edged a ball and was caught behind off the bowling of Ishant Sharma moments later, India’s celebrations began in earnest.

The celebrations begin for Virat Kohli and his side #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/U4Cfhz5IRT

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 30, 2018

Indian captain Virat Kohli was delighted that his team has been able to reproduce its best form this year on the road more consistently than ever before.

“If you want to win a series away from home it has to be an obsession. And once you’re obsessed, changing your decision because of opinion is not an option at all.”

“I think that’s been the most important factor for us, that we haven’t changed our mindset. At the end of the day, your belief is what matters because you’re out there competing.”

“Hats off to the whole team for sticking together, believing in themselves and being obsessed with getting results,” Kohli said.

Virat Kohli is obsessed #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/XMyETnDWkB

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 30, 2018

Australian captain Tim Paine acknowledged that the Test was lost on the first few days as Australia failed to make inroads into India’s top order after Kohli won the toss and elected to bat.

“India batted superbly in the first innings. from that moment we were behind the game. We knew the wicket was going to deteriorate and we knew it was going to be hard against their disciplined attack.”

Australia’s batsmen have struggled in this series and are still yet to produce a century from amongst its ranks. Paine believes there are a number of factors at play.

“I think it’s inexperience, it’s pressure, it’s India’s bowling attack  – it’s as good as probably any that these guys have faced.”

” It’s pretty clear if you take two or three of the best players out of anyone’s line up around the world you’re going to struggle a little bit at times and you’re going to have inconsistent performances and that’s what we’re seeing,” Paine said.

Tim Paine with some news for the Sydney Test:

Marnus Labuschagne has been added to the Australian squad #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/GUpeXVy8fs

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 30, 2018

The Australian batting has been cruelly exposed without the weight of runs that suspended duo, Steve Smith and David Warner, have provided in recent years.

Paine acknowledges that his team needs them back in action sooner rather than later.

“I think that’s pretty clear. If you took Pujara and Virat out of the Indian side you’d have the same conversation.”

‘If you’ve got world class players that aren’t in your team are they going to add to our team?  I think they will. Whilst at the moment its challenging and everyone’s frustrated it is what it is.”

“The silver lining is we have got world class players to come back into  this side and when they do it will make a huge difference.”

Jasprit Bumrah was man of the match after another fabulous display of fast bowling.

Bumrah’s match figures of 9-83, taking his wicket tally for the series to 20.

The big right arm quick has been a sensation in Test cricket after making his debut in South Africa in January.

Kholi was full of praise for his prize strike bowler.

“He was training like he wanted to play Test cricket. He was that obsessed with his fitness level and his work ethic so we discussed before South Africa if we just put him as a surprise package.”

“The mindset that he has is what separates him from anyone else in the world right now. He looks at a pitch and he doesn’t think it’s a hard toil, he thinks wickets.”

“Your mindset separates you from the rest. He’s as strong headed as anyone I’ve seen in the past and that’s the key to his success,” Kohli said.

With the prospect of spin being on offer to the bowlers at the SCG for the fourth Test, Australia has added Queensland all-rounder and leg spinner Marcus Labuschagne to the squad.

The Fourth Test gets underway  in Sydney on the 3rd of January.