Varun Chakravarthy provided a crucial breakthrough for India by dismissing the dangerous Travis Head with the help of a brilliant effort from Tilak Verma during the second T20I against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Melbourne on Friday (October 31).
Australia made a strong start with Mitchell Marsh (14) and Travis Head troubling the Indian bowlers, reaching 50 runs. But India’s mystery spinner Varun Chakraborty managed to give India timely success by dismissing Head after scoring 28 runs in just 15 balls.
Tilak Verma takes a Suryakumar Yadav-style catch to send Travis Head to the MCG
However, it was Tilak Verma who stole the show with his brilliant fielding at long-off. Tilak reminded everyone of David Miller’s controversial but match-winning catch of Suryakumar Yadav in the ICC T20 World Cup 2025 final against South Africa in Barbados.
Also read: ‘He has gone mad’: Gautam Gambhir heavily criticized for promoting Harshit Rana in place of Shivam Dube in MCG T20I
Head tried to create space and lofted a length ball from Chakraborty straight down the ground with an aim to cross the boundary. For a moment it seemed that the ball would go over the fielder, but Tilak had other plans. He assessed the ball perfectly, leapt to his left and caught the ball cleanly past the ropes.
Interestingly, after realizing that his momentum was taking him towards the boundary cushion, Tilak cleverly lofted the ball into the air before it went outside the rope. He then quickly but calmly re-entered the field of play to safely complete the catch, ending Head’s blistering innings at the MCG.
What a brilliant catch Tilak Verma took at the boundary! #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/NdmTd6q2et
– cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) 31 October 2025
Double happiness for Varun Chakraborty at MCG
After getting the big wicket of Head, Varun Chakravarthy struck again by dismissing another big man in Tim David during the second T20I at the MCG.
The Australian power hitter tried to push a fuller ball straight down the pitch, but ended up hitting the ball too hard and too close to the bowler.
The Indian spinner reacted quickly and completed a brilliant return catch by catching the ball cleanly. David returned to the pavilion after scoring only one run from two balls.
Harshit Rana missed Kuldeep Yadav’s chance to dismiss Mitchell Owen.
Meanwhile, Kuldeep Yadav created another chance for India when Mitchell Owen mistimed the ball during the second T20I at the MCG. The ball took a thick top edge and went high towards deep mid-wicket, where Harshit Rana ran in to take the catch.
Varun, who was running backwards from mid-wicket, gave way to Harshit at the last moment. Despite reaching the ball and placing both hands on it, Harshit could not get hold of it and missed the catch. Kuldeep looked disappointed, while Suryakumar Yadav silently watched the moment as Owen survived a run-out chance.
Earlier in the match, India were bundled out for just 125 runs in the second match against Australia at the MCG, and it was a rare collapse for this team in T20I cricket.
This was only the 13th time that India were bowled out in a T20 International match. Interestingly, even after being dismissed, the only time they were able to win against Pakistan was during the T20 World Cup 2024 in New York.
