India vs Australia Highlights, 4th Test Day 1: Bumrah powers IND fightback but Smith stays strong; AUS 311/6 at Stumps

India vs Australia LIVE Score, 4th Test Day 1: Jasprit Bumrah had Travis Head bowled shouldering arms

India vs Australia Highlights, 4th Test Day 1: India have found an opening in the third session with Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head suddenly falling within a few balls of each other. Head was bowled by Bumrah for a duck while leaving the ball. Bumrah then struck almost immediately thereafter with the wicket of Mitchell Marsh. Labuschagne's dominant stand with Steve Smith ended as he went for an aggressive shot on the very first ball after the drinks break in the third session. Labuschagne had scored 72 off 145 balls and his stand with Smith brought 83 runs off 127 balls for the third wicket.

Jasprit Bumrah struck with a rather innocuous delivery that helped him dismiss Usman Khawaja for the fifth time in the series. That was the only wicket India got in the session though, with Khawaja, Labuschagne and later Smith grinding it out and getting Australia to a score of 176/2 at Tea.

While Sam Konstas got the first session off to a rollicking start with some audacious hits, Khawaja and Labuschagne did the opposite by engaging in a battle of attrition in the second session against the Indian pacers and coming out on top. Khawaja fought his way to a half-century as he and Labuschagne saw off an incisive opening burst from Bumrah and Akash Deep.

Earlier, debutant opener Konstas left India a ragged lot early on Day 1 of the first Test itself. He scooped and swung his way to a half-century in just 52 balls and has got under the skin of the Indians, with the umpire even pulling him and Virat Kohli up for a rather unsavoury shoulder bump. Ravindra Jadeja finally ended India's misery by dismissing Konstas on 60 off 65 balls shortly after the drinks break. Konstas left a lot of the deliveries he faced in his first two overs before suddenly bringing out a flurry of scoop shots and throwing Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj off their lines.

Australia captain Pat Cummins won the toss in the Boxing Day Test and chose to bat first. India have made a big call, dropping Shubman Gill and bringing Washington Sundar as an extra spinner. Rohit Sharma also said that he will open the innings but he has been listed at No.3 in the team sheet. The stage is set for an electrifying encounter at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) as India and Australia lock horns in the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The series is currently tied 1-1 after the rain-affected draw at the Gabba. The Indian team’s lineup and some key selection decisions are sure to make headlines as India look to regain momentum and stay in the hunt for a historic third-successive series win in Australia.

The most talked-about issue ahead of the Boxing Day Test is the batting position of Indian captain Rohit Sharma. The 37-year-old has been struggling for runs in recent matches, and there are murmurs suggesting that he might move back to the opening slot -- displacing the team's most consistent batter this series, KL Rahul.

Rohit’s struggles in the middle order during the series have raised questions. After shifting to the opening position in Test cricket back in 2019, he never looked back at the middle-order after strong performances in the new role. However, he chose to drop down to No. 6 in the last two Tests, a move that has yet to pay off. In the second Test in Adelaide, he struggled for runs, failing to breach double figures across both innings. The decision to reshuffle again raises several questions: if Rohit does indeed return to the top, Rahul might be moved to No. 3, and Shubman Gill could either be dropped or play in the middle order.

Asked about his batting position during the pre-match press conference, Rohit was visibly irritated. “Let’s not worry about that. I think who bats where, we should be discussing that within ourselves and I shouldn’t be answering this question in every press conference,” he said, attempting to divert attention from the growing speculation. However, the decision on his role in the batting order could significantly impact the team’s balance, as Rohit’s form and leadership will be critical in guiding India to victory at the MCG, where India has been undefeated in Tests since the 2014 series.

Virat Kohli, after a lean patch, will look to rediscover the form that has made him one of the game’s greats. His performance in the 2018-19 series win was a beacon for India’s success in Australia, and he will need to find that same inner champion if India is to capitalize on their position. However, the pressure on Kohli will be immense as he faces the probing lines of Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, who will be relentless in testing him outside the off stump.

For Rohit, the equation is straightforward: perform and win. With Australia likely to target the Indian top order with their star fast bowlers and the returning Scott Boland, Rohit’s experience will be paramount to negate the early threat. If he returns to the opening slot, he’ll need to adjust to the challenge of facing Australia’s fiery seam attack early in the innings.

On the bowling front, India will have to make key decisions, particularly regarding the balance between pace and spin. The conditions at the MCG are expected to be hot, which will put extra pressure on the bowlers, particularly the pacers. India’s pacers, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Akash Deep will need to be at their best to counter Australia’s batters, particularly the dangerous Travis Head.

The role of the spinners will draw particular attention, too. Nathan Lyon, Australia’s experienced finger spinner, has been one of the key threats for India in the past, especially with his ability to extract variable bounce from the MCG surface. But for India, the question arises: should they play a second spinner to complement Ravindra Jadeja? With Ashwin retiring after the third Test, Washington Sundar, in particular, could come into the reckoning. Dropping someone like Nitish Reddy, who offers another seam-bowling option, would also be a tough call, particularly after his handy contributions with the bat in the lower order.

Australia, meanwhile, will be buoyed by the success of Travis Head, who has been in exceptional form this series, amassing 140 and 152 in the last two Tests. Head is likely to be the focal point for the Indian bowlers, and with his attacking style, he could wreak havoc if not kept in check early. His fitness was confirmed after an extended session on Wednesday, and he will be key to Australia's strategy at the MCG. The Indian bowlers must come up with a plan to contain him, especially since Head has shown he can handle aggressive bowling in challenging conditions.

Australia’s attack, led by Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, will test India’s resolve, but India’s bowlers, particularly Bumrah, will be ready for the challenge. If India can break through the top order early, they will put pressure on a middle order that, while capable, can sometimes falter under pressure.

Here are some pointers to IND vs AUS 4th Test Day 1:

- Bumrah powered India's fight back late in the day with the quick wickets of Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh

- Marnus Labuschagne ground out his half-century in 114 balls

- Australia 176/2 in 53 overs at Tea

- Bumrah struck for the first time with an innocuous delivery that Khawaja hit straight to midwicket

- Usman Khawaja got to his half-century in 101 balls

- Australia 112/1 in 25 overs at Lunch

- Ravindra Jadeja ended Konstas' incredible maiden knock, dismissing him for 60 off 65 balls

- Sam Konstas got to his maiden half-century in 52 balls

- Sam Konstas has bamboozled the Indians with some audacious hitting

- Shubman Gill has been dropped and Rohit Sharma said he will open, although the team sheet shows him at No.3

- Australia won the toss and chose to bat first

- India could retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy by winning the Boxing Day Test

- The series is level at 1-1

- India won the first Test at Perth by 295 runs

- Australia won the second pink-ball Test in Adelaide by 10 wickets

- The rain-hampered third Test in Brisbane was drawn