India remain in third place after suffering a 184-run loss in the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, while Australia also retained their second place in the World Test Championship standings.
India's point percentage, however, has slipped from 55.88 to 52.78 after losing the fourth Test, whereas Australia's PCT jumped from 58.89 to 61.46 as they inch closer to a second successive appearance in the WTC final after a thriller on Monday.
With this victory in any of their three remaining Tests in this cycle, the Aussies can secure qualification like South Africa to the final. South Africa clinched the first of two Tests against Pakistan by two wickets on Sunday, therefore securing their qualification.
Next year, Australia will tour Sri Lanka for two more Tests; that means if they theoretically can draw series 2-2 with India, then they could still stay in the race for a final seat.
India, however, can still qualify for the World Test Championship final but they must win the final Test of the series against Australia in Sydney to tie the Border-Gavaskar series and then rely on the Aussies not winning a Test during their series in Sri Lanka that commences next month.
The Boxing Day Test has had an amazing climax as Australia clinched an exciting 184-run victory over India in the last hour of the final day. The last Indian wicket fell with less than 14 overs left in the day, which Nathan Lyon dismissed Mohammed Siraj to send the MCG crowd in excess of 74,000 in raptures as the epic contest between the two arch-rivals came to an end.
With this victory at MCG, Australia now take a 2-1 lead over India in the five-match Border-Gavaskar series and can win the trophy back by not losing the fifth and final Test in Sydney from January 3.
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