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India vs Australia Highlights, 4th Test Day 1: Bumrah powers IND fightback but Smith stays strong; AUS 311/6 at Stumps
India vs Australia Highlights, 4th Test Day 1: Three quick wickets have suddenly given India a reason to smile. Washington Sundar first ended a big stand between Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith by dismissing the former after which Jasprit Bumrah dismissed dangerman Travis Head for a duck
- 12:56 PM IST, Dec 26That's it for today!
- 12:50 PM IST, Dec 26India make late return, but will it be enough?
- 12:41 PM IST, Dec 26An eventful day at the G!
- 12:34 PM IST, Dec 26STUMPS ON DAY 1!
- 12:19 PM IST, Dec 26300 up for Australia
- 12:17 PM IST, Dec 26Akash Deep strikes with the new ball!
- 11:48 AM IST, Dec 26Bumrah leaves the field
- 11:27 AM IST, Dec 26Smith slams half-century!
- 11:17 AM IST, Dec 26OUT! Now Bumrah gets Marsh, India are roaring back
- 11:06 AM IST, Dec 26OUT! HEAD BOWLED BY BUMRAH LEAVING THE BALL!
- 10:57 AM IST, Dec 26OUT! WASHINGTON STRIKES, LABUSCHAGNE IS GONE
- 10:53 AM IST, Dec 26Drinks in the third session, Australia 237/2 in 65 overs
- 10:29 AM IST, Dec 26Washington Sundar back in the attack
- 10:19 AM IST, Dec 26India burn another review
- 10:11 AM IST, Dec 26Fifty for Marnus Labuschagne
- 10:06 AM IST, Dec 26The third session begins
- 10:00 AM IST, Dec 26Can India convert the pressure into wickets
- 9:46 AM IST, Dec 26TEA! Australia 176/2 in 53 overs
- 9:41 AM IST, Dec 26Washington Sundar at long last...
- 9:10 AM IST, Dec 26OUT! WICKET FROM NOWHERE FOR BUMRAH!
- 8:54 AM IST, Dec 26Ravindra Jadeja back in the attack
- 8:51 AM IST, Dec 26Sam Konstas's interview right after the Kohli incident
- 8:47 AM IST, Dec 26Drinks in the second session, Australia 138/1 in 38 overs
- 8:33 AM IST, Dec 26Nitish Kumar Reddy for the first time
- 8:25 AM IST, Dec 26EDGED AND FOUR! Fifty for Khawaja
- 7:51 AM IST, Dec 26Bumrah from the other end...
- 7:43 AM IST, Dec 26SECOND SESSION IS UNDERWAY!
- 7:35 AM IST, Dec 26Pitch report at Lunch
- 7:17 AM IST, Dec 26Konstas chances his arms and gets away with it
- 7:03 AM IST, Dec 26LUNCH! Australia 112/1 in 25 overs
- 6:52 AM IST, Dec 26Bumrah is back
- 6:48 AM IST, Dec 26The Konstas-Kohli incident
- 6:37 AM IST, Dec 26OUT! KONSTAS STORM ENDED BY JADEJA
- 6:25 AM IST, Dec 26Drinks break after the first hour! Australia 83/0 in 16 overs
- 6:19 AM IST, Dec 26Ravindra Jadeja to bowl the first over of spin
- 6:12 AM IST, Dec 26An extraordinary fifty for Sam Konstas
- 5:58 AM IST, Dec 2618 runs off the 11th by Bumrah! Konstas conducting the crowd now!
- 5:55 AM IST, Dec 26Kohli, Konstas pulled up by the umpires
- 5:46 AM IST, Dec 26Australia motoring along now...
- 5:37 AM IST, Dec 26ANOTHER SCOOP AND FOUR! Bizarrely sensational from Konstas
- 5:06 AM IST, Dec 25THE BOXING DAY TEST IS UNDERWAY!
- 5:00 AM IST, Dec 25The national anthems are done
- 4:53 AM IST, Dec 25Adam Gilchrist and Irfan Pathan bring the Border-Gavaskar Trophy out
- 4:50 AM IST, Dec 25Pitch report
- 4:44 AM IST, Dec 25“Last 2-3 innings haven't gone the way I wanted them to,” says Virat Kohli
- 4:34 AM IST, Dec 25SHUBMAN GILL DROPPED, ROHIT SHARMA OPENING!
- 4:32 AM IST, Dec 25Australia win the toss, bat first
- 4:25 AM IST, Dec 25Almost time for the toss…
- 4:15 AM IST, Dec 25Bumrah six away from 200
- 4:10 AM IST, Dec 25Travis Head doing Travis Head things...
- 4:06 AM IST, Dec 25A look at the pitch at the MCG
- 4:04 AM IST, Dec 25The MCG is going to be packed to the rafters...
- 4:00 AM IST, Dec 25Pat Cummins on Travis Head's stunning form
- 3:52 AM IST, Dec 25Rohit Sharma on the brilliance of Jasprit Bumrah
- 3:40 AM IST, Dec 25Will India go for an extra spinner?
- 3:39 AM IST, Dec 25What Rohit said about his position
- 3:31 AM IST, Dec 25Boland threat for India
- 3:24 AM IST, Dec 25Will Rohit continue in the middle order?
- 3:10 AM IST, Dec 25Australia's unreflected dominance
- 2:56 AM IST, Dec 25Weather check
- 2:46 AM IST, Dec 25India full squad
- 2:38 AM IST, Dec 25Australia XI
- 3:08 PM IST, Dec 25Hello and welcome!
India vs Australia Highlights, 4th Test Day 1: Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head fell within a few balls of each other and that has suddenly given India an opening. Labuschagne was the the third Australian batter today after Usman Khawaja and Sam Konstas to score a half-century. He put up a partnership of 83 runs off 127 balls with Steve SMith before falling to Washington Sundar on 72 off 145 balls. Dangerman Travis Head was then bowled out leaving the ball by Jasprit Bumrah shortly thereafter.
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....Read More
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
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: That's it for today!
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: Day 2 promises to be exciting with India batters likely to be tested with the changing conditions. But before that, the bowlers will hope to wrap the Aussie innings and ensure Steve Smith doesn't pile up too many runs on the board. Until then, take care and goodbye!
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: India make late return, but will it be enough?
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: Jasprit Bumrah led India's fightback with quick wickets of Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh, overs after Washington Sundar removed Marnus Labuschagne for 68. However, with the surface breaking and new ball moving around a bit, it is evident that the conditions will be conducive to the bowlers as the game progresses. Will the Indian batters, who have had a rough outing throughout the series, brave the changing conditions on Day 2?
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: Australian dominance on Day 1 at the G
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: Australia take the upper hand as Sam Konstas, on debut, sets the tone with a fearless knock at the top of the order. The young opener’s aggressive approach paid dividends, as he came out on top, helping Australia to their first 50+ opening partnership of the series. This ensured that the likes of Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, and Steve Smith could play with freedom, capitalizing on the strong start to each bring up half-centuries.
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: STUMPS ON DAY 1!
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: No more casualties for Australia as Cummins sees off Jasprit Bumrah's final over of the day. Bumrah did bring out his most lethal weapon – the yorker – but Cummins plays it out defensively. STUMPS!
311/6 in 85 overs
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: Bumrah returns
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: Earlier, Bumrah returned to bowling, bringing a sigh of relief to Indian fans all around. He bowled first with the new ball in the 82nd over before Akash Deep eventually found success. With 10 minutes remaining in the day, India will certainly be hoping another wicket from their premier pacer
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: 300 up for Australia
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: Captain Pat Cummins walks into bat and takes a single off the flick to take Australia's score to 300. India will look to wrap up the Aussie tale soon, as the extra runs here could hurt the visitors dearly.
300/6
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: Akash Deep strikes with the new ball!
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: WICKET NO.6! Akash Deep strikes with the new ball to remove Alex Carey on 31. The ball moves off the seam and finds Carey's edge, and Rishabh Pant makes no mistake behind the stumps to grab an easy catch. First wicket for Akash Deep, and timely!
299/6
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: Second new ball due now
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: We are done with 80 overs, but India have not taken the new ball yet. Nitish Kumar Reddy continues to bowl from the other end. Maybe waiting for Jasprit Bumrah to finish his treatment…
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: Smith, Carey keep scoreboard ticking
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: Both batters are comfortable at the crease now, picking easy runs. There's still speculation on the extent of Jasprit Bumrah's injury, which is worrying. Nitish Kumar Reddy has been introduced to the attack, who has found Carey's edge on multiple occasions.
291/5
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: Bumrah leaves the field
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: Not a very pleasant sight, if you are an Indian fan. He was attended by a physio during the over break, and was attended to his left calf, possibly for a sprain. He now leaves the field. Hopefully, it's not a serious issue.
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: Carey opens his arms for a maximum!
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: Alex Carey has joined the party now. Mark Nicholas claims ‘so like Gilchrist’ as Carey gets down low on a flighted delivery, sweeping it effortlessly over mid-on. He makes enough contact to send it sailing comfortably over the fielder. Shift in momentum again?
276/5 after 74 overs
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: 6! Smith takes the aerial route
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: SIX from Smith! This shot perfectly illustrates the quality of Smith's innings. He quickly picks up the short-pitched delivery from Siraj, gets into the ideal position, and executes a flawless pull that sails over deep square leg for a maximum.
269/5 after 73 overs
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: Smith slams half-century!
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: Steve Smith continues on his strong form! He follows his century in Brisbane with a brilliant fifty in the first innings at the MCG. He reaches his half-century in 72 balls.
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: OUT! Now Bumrah gets Marsh, India are roaring back
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: EDGED AND GONE! We have a twist in the tale late on Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test. Short but not too short for a comfortable pull, which is what Marsh went for. He is in fact through the shot early, outside edge and Pant makes no mistake with the catch. Wow, India have been down all day, none of their edges were finding hands, but all of a sudden a flurry of wickets. This is a fiery spell and then some from Bumrah.
Marsh c Pant b Bumrah 4 (13)
Australia 246/5 in 69 overs
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: OUT! HEAD BOWLED BY BUMRAH LEAVING THE BALL!
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: Travis Head, scourge of the Indian attack for the last two years, has fallen for a duck shouldering arms. He is an attacker, he likes to bludgeon a bowling attack into oblivion but he has been dismissed while leaving a ball. Just a wonderful line and length, it tells Head he can leave the ball but it instead goes and knocks the top of off on the bull's eye, just enough for the bails to be knocked off.
Head b Bumrah 0 (7)
Australia 237/4 in 66.3 overs
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: OUT! WASHINGTON STRIKES, LABUSCHAGNE IS GONE
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: He charges down first ball after that break and hits it straight to Virat Kohli at mid-off. He connected well enough but couldn't get enough height on it to clear the fielder there. Kohli jumped up and took quite a sharp catch there, made it look quite easy. An opening for India at long last but this has brought in dangerman Travis Head.
Labuschagne c Kohli b Washington Sundar 72 (145)
Australia 237/3 in 65 overs
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: Drinks in the third session, Australia 237/2 in 65 overs
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: A snorter out of nowhere from Akash Deep in the 65th over. That was after Smith ran a single off the first ball and Labuschagne ran two off the second. Deep dug the fourth ball in short of a length and spits up at Labuschagne. He raises his bat and it fizzes past the outside edge to the wicketkeeper. He gets off strike next ball and then Smith defends the last solidly. Kohli leading the chat in the Indian huddle now.
Australia 237/2 in 65 overs
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: Smith-Labuschagne standcruises into the 70s
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: Well this is ominous and then some for India. Smith and Labuschagne starting to look as invincible as they would when they are at their best. The partnership between them has absolutely cruised to 72 off 114 balls. Akash Deep conceded three in his 16th over, now Sundar continues from the other end for the 64th over. Smith on 36 off 57 balls, Labuschagne on 67 off 137 balls.
Australia 226/2 in 63 overs
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: More frustration for India
IND vs AUS LIVE Score: Huge appeal for LBW by Akash Deep against Smith again, this time off the fourth ball of the 61st over. The umpire shakes his head and Deep pleads with Rohit to take the review. The Indian captain doesn't do so. This has been an utterly frustrating day for India. Smith on 32 off 52, Labuschagne 66 off 103 balls.
Australia 221/2 in 61 overs
India vs Australia 4th Test Day 1 Live Score: Washington Sundar back in the attack
India vs Australia 4th Test Day 1 Live Score: The runs are starting to flow freely for Australia. Nine runs in the 59th over, Smith on 30 off 44, Labuschagne on 64 off 126 balls.
Australia 217/2 in 59 overs
India vs Australia 4th Test Day 1 Live Score: BACK TO BACK FOURS! Smith making his intentions clear
India vs Australia 4th Test Day 1 Live Score: The partnership between Labuschagne and Smith has now crossed 50. The stand is on 54 off 86 balls at the end of that over, in fact. Labuschagne takes a single off the second ball of that over from Ravindra Jadeja and that brings up Australia's 200. Smith pulls a short one wide of mid-on for four and then advances down the track to dismiss the fifth ball down the ground for another. He is on 27 off 43 at the end of the over, Labuschagne on 58 off 121.
Australia 208/2 in 58 overs
India vs Australia 4th Test Day 1 Live Score: India burn another review
India vs Australia 4th Test Day 1 Live Score: Smith has been shuffling accross the stumps from outside leg and he has been pinged in front twice now by Akash Deep. Huge appeal from India for the second one, they are almost pleading with the umpire but Gough shakes his head. Rohit takes a review after chatting with Pant and the latter seems to be telling Akash Deep quite animatedly to talk to them first instead of talking to someone else after the Indian captain makes the signal. Ball tracking shows it was missing leg stump. A leg bye is run off the third ball after which Labuschagne takes a single.
Australia 199/2 in 57 overs
India vs Australia 4th Test Day 1 Live Score: Fifty for Marnus Labuschagne
India vs Australia 4th Test Day 1 Live Score: Akash Deep bowling from the other end in this session, Labuschagne plays the last ball through gully and runs two. That takes him to his half-century in 114 balls.
Australia 190/2 in 55 overs
India vs Australia 4th Test Day 1 Live Score: The third session begins
India vs Australia 4th Test Day 1 Live Score: Jadeja to start the session, wonder if India will go with spin from both ends now. He is bowling to Steve Smith, who is on 10 off 25 balls, Labuschagne on 44 off 109 at the other end.
India 176/2 in 53 overs
India vs Australia 4th Test Day 1 Live Score: Can India convert the pressure into wickets
India vs Australia 4th Test Day 1 Live Score: Just 64 runs were scored in the second session, as opposed to the 112 in the first. However, there was just one wicket and India know just what awaits them once them end this little stand between Smith and Labuschagne - Travis Head. To make matters worse for them, Head would be coming into bat against the old ball on conditions that seem pretty good now for batting. Wickets will be top priority for India.
