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Call for key change after Australia humbled in Boxing Day Test

Australian opener Matthew Wade says DRS decisions need to be more consistent after two controversial calls during the Boxing Day Test. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
Australian opener Matthew Wade says DRS decisions need to be more consistent after two controversial calls during the Boxing Day Test. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Matthew Wade has called for the DRS to show more consistency in future matches after a spate of controversial decisions during the Boxing Day Test.

While the decision review system was hardly the cause of Australia’s woes in the eight wicket loss to India, Wade said the controversial decisions needed to be clarified.

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Twice the DRS was used to review very marginal appeals from both sides, one against India’s Cheteshwar Pujara and the other against Australian captain Tim Paine.

Pujara survived his appeal after the field umpire gave him not out on a potential edge off Pat Cummins, with a small spike on Snicko not enough to overturn the on-field decision.

A day later, Paine was dismissed under similar circumstances, with the hot spot showing nothing but a spike on Snicko this time enough to end his innings.

“From what I’ve seen, it looked quite similar to the one we referred yesterday off Pujara,” Wade said.

“From all reports and what I’ve seen, Snicko probably showed a very similar thing, so one was given out and one was given not out.

“That’s the way the cookie crumbles sometimes, but that’s what it looked like from where we’ve been sitting and watching.

“I heard a noise on the Pujara one – I was at first slip at the time – and his bat was the only thing out there and then we saw what you guys saw, on the ground, there was a small spike.

“Either way, if it was out or not out, consistency is all you want as a player.”

Australia fall to India in Boxing Day Test

India have pulled off one of their greatest Test wins, chasing down Australia's fourth-innings target of 70 to secure victory by eight wickets at the MCG.

The tourists responded from a horror start to the Border-Gavaskar series when they were skittled for a record-low of 36 in Adelaide 10 days ago.

Even without star captain Virat Kohli, India levelled the series at one-all to become the first touring side to win consecutive Boxing Day Tests in Melbourne since England in 1982 and 1986.

Australia's lower-order, spearheaded by young allrounder Cameron Green, added 67 runs in the first session on day four after resuming on 6-133 to be all-out for 200.

Australia lost to India by eight wickets in the Boxing Day Test, levelling the four-Test series at one-all. (Photo by WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images)
Australia lost to India by eight wickets in the Boxing Day Test, levelling the four-Test series at one-all. (Photo by WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images)

India suffered some anxious moments in the tiny chase, falling to 2-19, but rookie opener Shubman Gill (35 not out) and stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane (27 not out) guided them home in the 16th over.

Led superbly by Rahane, who made a courageous 112 in the first-innings, India controlled the contest from day one when they rolled Australia for 195.

While Rahane's 12th Test century - which Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar hailed as one of the most important innings in the country's history - was vital, it was the bowlers who set the game up.

Australia's batting problems were exposed by a disciplined Indian bowling unit that never allowed the batsmen to settle.

It was the first time since 1988 Australia have had a home Test without any batsman posting a half-century - Marnus Labuschagne's first-innings 48 was the hosts top-score.

With AAP

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