Australia's sports media has reacted coldly to its cricket side's second consecutive Boxing Day Test loss to India.
India completed a stunning form reversal on Tuesday by claiming a memorable eight-wicket win over Australia on the fourth day of the second cricket test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
India's comprehensive victory, led brilliantly by stand-in skipper and man of the match Ajinkya Rahane, levels the four-match series at one-all.
The touring team's remarkable win comes after India scored a national-record low total of 36 in an eight-wicket loss in the first test in Adelaide just over a week ago.
Chasing a modest target of 70 to win on Tuesday after bowling Australia out for 200 in its second innings, India comfortably reached 70-2 off 15.5 overs before the tea break.
Reaction from local media was expectedly scathing, with Sydney Morning Herald writer Malcolm Knox leading the charge by saying Australia played even worse than what the scoreboard illustrated.
"India needed only three bowlers to dismiss Australia for 200 on a good pitch; the thrashing in Melbourne was even more comprehensive than it looked.
"The only momentum Australia carried from Adelaide to the MCG was the great rolling swell of praise for how good they were. So overwhelming was the positive publicity that this column suggested, tongue-in-cheek, that they go easy on India in Melbourne. They did a pretty good job of that."
News.com.au's Nic Savage heaped praise on the Indians, saying they performed at a whole other level to the Australians.
"The Australians were utterly outclassed at the MCG this week, with no batsman able to muster a half-century over the four-day contest."
Specialist bowlers like Nathan Lyon were left to try to save the batting innings of the Australian side. Photo / Getty
Several former international cricketers joined the throng of criticism for their respective media platforms.
"You can't be making 200 in both innings of a Test match and expect to win it," Merv Hughes stated during ABC's coverage of the match.
"There's got to be changes. After being out for 200... three scores less than 200, there must be changes."
Hughes' fellow commentator Dirk Nannes agreed that the side's batsmen needed to rise to the occasion.
"I don't think the Australian batters are necessarily getting Australia into this series and they need to step up."
Meanwhile Ponting, speaking during Channel 7's TV coverage, went so far as to say the performance was un-Australian.
"They have looked frail and fragile with their batting and looked tentative. We saw [the] Indian batsmen today go out and play hooks and pull shots all afternoon against our attack.
"We looked tentative and let the Indian bowlers dictate to us. That's not the way Australian teams play."
The four-match series is level at one-all ahead of the third test starting on January 7. The third test is scheduled to be held in Sydney, although Cricket Australia is yet to confirm this amid speculation the match may be staged in Melbourne due to the coronavirus pandemic.
