Sam Konstas, the 19-year-old making his Test debut, lit up the MCG with an audacious display of strokeplay against Jasprit Bumrah which in the process riled Virat Kohli on a compelling Boxing Day at the MCG. The world’s best fast bowler still had a significant say with three wickets although it was Australia who edged the honours with their top four all passing fifty.
Sam Konstas, on his Test debut, stole the spotlight with a fearless 60 off 65 balls, including six boundaries and two sixes. However, the 19-year-old Sam Kostas’s audacious innings wasn’t the only talking point of the day. An altercation between Konstas and Virat Kohli became a flashpoint in the match. Australia’s top-order used the festive period to rediscover its mojo helping the hosts claim early honours on Boxing Day.
Having won their first toss of this Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Australia’s top four of Sam Konstas, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith all passed 50 and while the former three missed out on converting their efforts into three-figure scores, their contributions were vital in the opening day total of 311 for 6. For India, Jasprit Bumrah’s double strike in the final session and Akash Deep’s large-hearted effort allowed them to stay in the game.
Pitch Report and Toss
Pitch Report : The heavy roller is doing its bit on the surface. There’s a lot of grass on the surface, day 1 pitch, there will be plenty in it for the bowlers. As the sun beats down, batting will become easier. 7mm grass on the surface, it might be slightly tacky at the start. The first couple of hours will be a real test for the batters. The conditions are really hot. 92,000 tickets have been sold and we can’t wait to start reckons Mark Nicolas and Sunil Gavaskar.
Toss : Australia skipper Pat Cummins won the toss and chose to bat with debutant Sam Konstas and Scott Boland in place of Nathan McSweeney and Scott Boland in the playing XI. Team India skipper Rohit Sharma who will open the innings bought in Washington Sundar for Shubman Gill.
Day 1 : Morning Session : On debut, Sam Konstas lights up MCG scoring quickfire 60 runs to give Australia advantage till Lunch on Day 1
Australia wanted to throw something different at India and it was debutant Sam Konstas that uncorked the party popper in front of a festive crowd on Boxing Day. The 19-year-old Sam Konstas reverse-scooped and charged India’s fast bowlers, was unafraid to get into confrontations and bolted away to a 65-ball 60 before Ravindra Jadeja eventually dismissed him. Australia, who elected to bat on a good surface, raced away to 112 for 1 after the opening session.
Without letting on much, Sam Konstas had said pre-match that he had his plans of countering the top-ranked Jasprit Bumrah. Come match day, India’s pace ace managed to beat his bat as many as four times in the early exchanges. The youngster’s response was to try a pair of reverse scoops but his bat only connected the thin Melbourne air on each occasion.
That match-up, though, turned on its head in the seventh over when Sam Konstas connected thrice with his attempted reverse scoops. Two of them went to the ropes and the other dropped over it – the first time Bumrah had conceded a six in the format since the Sydney Test of 2021. It was cat among the pigeons for India, a period of play that saw the cerebral Bumrah turn to bowling white-ball lengths.
Once he’d forced India into putting a fly stop in the first hour of a Test match, Sam Konstas set about on a new plan: to back away and drill the fast bowlers through the off-side.
He swatted away anything short through mid-wicket, unafraid to hit the ball in the air. Bumrah’s six-over opening spell cost India 38 runs with Sam Konstas having scored 34 off the 33 he faced from India’s talisman. More importantly, that meant Usman Khawaja, who has fallen four times to Bumrah in this series, faced only three balls from his nemesis in that first spell and could get his innings flowing against the others.
But it was all about how the day started. Sam Konstas’ first over in Test cricket was against Bumrah and consisted of four plays and misses. Off his eighth delivery he worked a brace 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 an over later and with Mohammed Siraj also troubling Khawaja, Australia were 12 without loss after six overs when Sam Konstas unleashed a passage of play that will never be forgotten. Off 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.
Sam Konstas 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 by peppering the boundary with drives including lofting a slower ball over wide long-on. By this point, 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 adjudicate the confrontation.
Not long after, a quickly run two brought up his fifty from 52 balls and he grabbed the Australian emblem on his shirt while pointing to the name on the back. What were you doing as a 19-year-old on Boxing Day The mind started to wander towards something even more spectacular, but Ravindra Jadeja trapped Sam Konstas lbw in a manner many a more experienced batter has been removed. The tempo then reverted to something more traditional: the stand of 89 between Sam Konstas and Khawaja took 116 balls
Sam Konstas became Australia’s second youngest Test match half-centurion, getting to the feat off just 52 balls. He marked that feat by smashing Siraj for a four and a six off the next two deliveries, taking his tally of boundaries to eight (6x4s;2x6s). His enterprise eventually ended on 60 when Jadeja beat him on the inside edge and won an LBW appeal to break the 89-run opening stand.
But the youngster Sam Konstas, who walked back to a rousing ovation, had set the innings up for the rest of the batters against a ball that was already 20-overs-old. It was indicative in Marnus Labuschagne’s confident beginning with a pair of boundaries against Jadeja while Khawaja moved to 38*. India, who opted to bring Washington Sundar into the XI at the expense of a pure batter in Shubman Gill, will have a task on their hand to fight back on the opening day after Lunch
Day 1 : Post Lunch Session : Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne solidifies Australia’s advantage post lunch on Day 1 with sedate half centuries.
Usman Khawaja became the second Australia batter to score a half-century and be dismissed soon thereafter but the hosts continued to call the shots on a festive opening day of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne. At the Tea interval, they reached 176 for 2 with Marnus Labuschagne nearing a half-century of his own.
After a frenetic start to the Test, the second session was largely attritional as India’s seamers made up for the soft ball and the lack of zip off the surface by bowling very tight lines. Akash Deep and Jasprit Bumrah bowled two maidens each to start the post-lunch period before Khawaja pulled the 25th ball to a boundary.
Both fast bowlers beat the bat and created half chances but the edges they drew didn’t carry to the slip cordon. Khawaja was able to squirt another thick edge through the fielders behind the stumps to complete his first half-century off the innings but runs otherwise were not easy to come. In fact, having gone at nearly 4.5 runs to the over in the first session, the first hour of the second brought just 26 runs in 13 overs.
Rohit rotated his fast bowlers and even brought on Nitish Reddy for a two-over spell but the breakthrough continued to evade him. Eventually, the 65-run stand was ended by a rather innocuous delivery at the start of Bumrah’s next spell when Khawaja toe-ended a harmless short delivery on his hips to mid-wicket. Khawaja’s dismissal for 57 drew a surprised reaction from even Bumrah, who extended his dominance over the Australian opener to a fifth dismissal in the series.
Meanwhile, Labuschagne survived a tough examination from Mohammed Siraj and even copped a couple of painful blows to the groin but found a way to work his singles and edged himself closer to another half-century. The tempo then reverted 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
Akash Deep and Bumrah bowled two maidens each to begin the second session before Khawaja ended the rut with a pulled boundary.
Both Deep and Bumrah also found the edges but on each occasion the softer ball coupled with an early lack of zip off the surface meant the catches didn’t carry to the cordon. Only 26 runs came in the 13 overs of play in the hour to drinks during which period Khawaja got through to his first half-century of the series. Mohammed Siraj, at the other end, had Labuschagne in a lot of discomfort with deliveries cutting back into the right-hander.
Day 1 : Afternoon Session : Jasprit Bumrah’s 3-fer help India crawl back as Labuschagne and Steve Smith packs Australia’s day with half centuries
Australia’s top-order used the festive period to rediscover its mojo helping the hosts claim early honours on Boxing Day. Having won their first toss of this Border-Gavaskar Trophy,
Australia’s top four of Sam Konstas, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith all passed 50 and while the former three missed out on converting their efforts into three-figure scores, their contributions were vital in the opening day total of 311 for 6. For India, Jasprit Bumrah’s double strike in the final session and Akash Deep’s large-hearted effort allowed them to stay in the game.
The afternoon session started with four consecutive maidens from Bumrah and Akash, the latter again bowling without luck. Both batters had edges fall short of slip and another from Khawaja which bisected the cordon took him to just his second fifty of the year.
India were largely keeping the scoreboard under control but were not overly threatening, only for Khawaja to toe-end a pull against the first ball of Bumrah’s third spell to midwicket which left the bowler a little embarrassed to celebrate.
Labuschagne was still not quite at his fluent best, but was looking as good as he had all series with some delicate glides to third off Jadeja and the types of drives to suggest better days lie ahead for Australia’s No. 3. There was a shift in gears after tea with Labuschagne and Smith adding 41 in the first six overs of the final session against the older ball, although there remained enough assistance from the surface to challenge the batters as another luckless spell from Akash showed.
The end of one partnership brought Australia’s best two batters to the middle. Smith, fresh off a hundred in Brisbane, was quick off the blocks particularly against Jadeja, who he routinely stepped down the pitch to loft over the top. The pair of Labuschagne and Smith were eager to cash in on a ball that was 53 overs old at the start of the final session, adding 61 runs from the first 12 overs.
Deep produced another probing but luckless spell and caught Smith on the shuffle on two occasions with the master batter reprieved once by Umpire’s call and the other time when India threw away a review.
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 picked out mid-off with a skimming drive the ball after a drinks break. Labuschagne threw his head back as Kohli took the catch, knowing the chance of a first Test century since last July had gone begging.
Rohit Sharma sensed a moment and immediately brought back Bumrah and against his third delivery Travis Head shouldered arms to one that clipped his off stump. A batter who has caused India nightmares with his attacking strokeplay departed not offering a shot. In Bumrah’s next over Mitchell Marsh, having slotted away one thumping cover drive, edged an expansive pull to continue what has been a lean series after the summer of his life in 2023-24.
But their luck turned straight after the drinks break when Labuschagne charged out to Washington Sundar and hit a catch straight to Virat Kohli at mid-off. Australia then went from 237 for 2 to 246 for 5 as Bumrah produced another probing spell with the old ball. He cleaned up Travis Head for a duck when the series’ top scorer shouldered arms and then had Mitchell Marsh caught behind for 4 attempting a swipe across the line.
It was at this stage that Australia found a useful 53-run stand between Alex Carey and Smith before the former fell for 31 to the tireless Deep when India took the second new ball. Smith and Cummins saw off the remainder of the tricky session under lights with the star batter finishing unbeaten on 68.
As the ground rose for the hats-off commemoration of Shane Warne at 3.50pm (to match Warne’s Test cap number), Smith had slotted consecutive boundaries off Jadeja when Australia looked to be taking control but now his presence was vital in ensuring the innings didn’t lose its way. He and Carey added 53 before Akash produced a terrific delivery from round the wicket. Smith remained firm and walked off to warm applause from those who remained of an 87,242 crowd but it was nothing compared to the ovations earlier in the day.
Road Ahead on Day 2 for India and Australia
Australia walk away with the honors. Sam Konstas, on debut, set the tone for them and the rest followed suit. The youngster brought a fearless approach at the top of the order and that paid off. He took on India’s best bowler – Bumrah – and won that battle. Australia added their first 50+ opening stand of the series and that ensured the other batters were not exposed to the new ball. The likes of Khawaja, Labuschagne and Smith cashed in on the start provided by Konstas and notched up their respective fifties.
India fought back in the final session when they picked up 3 wickets for 9 runs but another 50+ stand between Smith and Carey took Australia close to 300. Akash Deep, who had toiled away hard, picked up Carey with the second new ball but Cummins saw Australia through to stumps.
The surface has been an interesting one; it seemed slow because of outside edges not carrying but it also had enough help for the pacers. We will know more once India start their innings but before that they need to pick the final 4 wickets quickly and not allow Australia to post a big first innings total. Day 2 promises to be as interesting as day 1 .
With the series tied 1-1, the Boxing Day Test has already delivered high drama and quality cricket. As the second day looms, India will aim to limit the damage, while Australia looks to Smith and Cummins to extend their advantage. For now, the day will be remembered for Konstas’ dazzling debut and a fiery Kohli-Konstas clash that added an edge to an intense contest.