AUS vs IND 2024/25 Australia vs India 4th Test Day 1 Melbourne Match Report 26 – 30 Dec 2024

On By Littum

Australia 311 for 6 (Smith 68*, Cummins 8*, Labuschagne 72, Bumrah 3-75) vs. India

Sam Konstas, the 19-year-old making his Test debut, lit up the MCG with a bold display of batting against Jasprit Bumrah, who in the process excited Virat Kohli in a convincing Boxing Day at the MCG. The world’s best fast bowler still made a significant impact with three wickets, although it was Australia who took the honors with their top four all passing fifties.

At stumps, Steven Smith was the key figure in how much longer Australia’s first innings would be able to stretch as he notched up his second hundred in three innings after Bumrah unleashed a wobble in the middle order. Still, it was the opening passage of the test that could well go down as defining.

Within an hour of his first Test innings, Konstas, who became his country’s fourth-youngest men’s player, was the most talked-about figure in the game after shamelessly taking 32 off two overs from Bumrah. While he was stopped on 60 off 65 balls, he had already written a chapter among the most remarkable debuts and more than repaid the selectors’ desire to deliver something different at the top of the order after Nathan McSweeney’s struggles.

Bumrah still had important scalps of Usman Khawaja, the prolific Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh, though that did little to play down talk of India being over-reliant on him. The latter two came when Australia lost 3 for 9 in the final session with Akash Deep then claiming a much-deserved wicket with the second new ball when he removed Alex Carey to end the fourth significant partnership of the innings.

Khawaja, Smith and Marnus Labuschagne all brought up half-centuries at more sedate paces than Konstas. It was the first time since Rawalpindi in 2022 that Australia’s top four had all reached fifties in the same innings. Khawaja and Labuschagne will have wondered what might have been, but Smith played a crucial role in keeping Australia ahead.

But it was all about how the day started. Konstas’ first over in Test cricket was against Bumrah and consisted of four plays and misses. After his eighth delivery, he worked a hoop into the leg side to a loud ovation and two deliveries later signaled his intent with an attempt to reverse scoop Bumrah, which brought a combination of cheers and gasps.

He missed another over an over later and with Mohammed Siraj also troubling Khawaja, Australia were 12 for no loss after six overs as Konstas unleashed a game that will never be forgotten. From Bumrah’s fourth over, he scooped to fine leg, reverse scooped for six over deep third and was an inch away from repeating it three balls later.

He had dispatched the world’s leading bowler for 14 but wasn’t done there. In Bumrah’s sixth over, he took him for 18, this time peppering the boundary with drives, including lifting a slower ball over wide long-on. By this time he had been shoulder-checked by Kohli between overs with Khawaja trying to act as peacemaker with all eyes on how the match referee would judge the confrontation.

Not long after, a quick run two brought up his fifty from 52 balls and he clutched the Australian crest on his jersey as he pointed to the name on his back. What did you do as a 19-year-old on Boxing Day? The mind began to wander towards something even more spectacular, but Ravindra Jadeja caught Konstas lbw in a way many a more experienced batter has been removed.

The pace then returned to something more traditional: the stand of 89 between Konstas and Khawaja took 116 balls, the next of 65 between Khawaja and Labuschagne required 150. The afternoon session started with four consecutive maidens from Bumrah and Akash, with the latter again bowling unsuccessfully . Both batsmen had edges that couldn’t slip and another from Khawaja, who shared the shutout, took him to just his second fifty of the year.

India largely kept the scoreboard in check but weren’t overly threatening, only for Khawaja to finish off a move towards the first ball of Bumrah’s third spell to midwicket, leaving the bowler a bit embarrassed to celebrate.

Labuschagne was still not quite at his fluid best but looked good as he had every series with some delicate slips to third from Jadeja and the types of drives that suggest better days lie ahead for Australia’s no. 3. There was a shift in gear after tea with Labuschagne and Smith adding 41 in the first six overs of the last session against the older ball, although there was still enough assistance from the surface to challenge the batsmen as another unlucky spell from Akash showed.

However, the door was opened for India by offspinner Washington Sundar, who had been brought into the side in place of Shubman Gill, when Labuschagne chose mid-off with a skimming drive the ball after a drinks break. Labuschagne threw back his head as Kohli took the catch, knowing the chance of a first Test century since July last year had gone begging.

Sensing a moment, Rohit Sharma immediately brought Bumrah back and towards his third delivery, Travis Head shouldered the arms to one that clipped his off stump. A batsman who has been causing India nightmares with his attacking strokeplay departed without offering a shot. In Bumrah’s next over, Mitchell Marsh, after tucking away a pounding cover drive, hit an expansive move to continue what has been a meager run after the summer of his life in 2023-24.

As the ground rose for the memorial service for Shane Warne at 15.50 (to match Warne’s Test cap number), Smith had slotted consecutive boundaries off Jadeja as Australia looked to take control, but now his presence was crucial to ensure the innings did so. not lose weight. He and Carey added 53 before Akash produced a stunning delivery from round the wicket. Smith stood his ground and walked out to warm applause from those remaining in the 87,242 crowd, but it was nothing compared to the ovation earlier in the day.

Andrew McGlashan is deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo