🏏Australia vs India, 4th Test: Melbourne, 26 - 30 Dec 2024: Day 5 🏏- Page 15

Stumps, Day 1: Australia walk away with the honors. Sam Konstas, on debut, set the tone for them and the rest followed suit.

Phew, quite the Boxing Day we've had. The early punches were all thrown by Australia, particularly by the 19-year-old Sam Konstas who rode his early luck and made one of the more memorable debut half-centuries you'll ever see, peppered with audacious scoops, reverse-scoops and dashes down the track against the quicks. Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith built on his early work, and put Australia in a commanding position at 237 for 2, but India hit back thereafter, with who else but Jasprit Bumrah leading the way. Australia lost 4 for 74 towards the end of the day, and that brings the Test match back towards something like parity, but at 311 runs on day one, on a pitch where the ball is beginning to go up and down, you would think the home team are a little better placed.

Stumps, Day 1: 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 and we will be back with all the action.

Steven Smith batting on day one of Boxing Day Tests

8 inngs

346 runs

Avg 115.33

Originally posted by: Savera84

Pitch Report and Weather Forecast:

The MCG has made adjustments to its Test pitches to benefit pace bowlers more. As the match progresses, spinners are likely to have an impact. Notably, the ground does not provide a clear edge to teams batting first or second. While the MCG may not offer the bounce seen in Perth or the seam movement typical of the Gabba, the pitch will still favor pace with a 6mm grass covering.

India and Australia in Melbourne is expected to witness hot conditions that will test the players out on the field, as per the city's weather forecast for Boxing Day (December 26).

With the five-Test Border Gavaskar Trophy series tantalisingly poised at 1-1, weather is expected to add 'heat' to the proceedings, which have already seen tempers flaring on multiple occasions during the previous three matches.

According to Accuweather.com, Thursday in Melbourne will be "breezy and very hot with a thick cloud cover", with a warning that "extreme heat can be dangerous for outdoor activities".

Thanks RJ for the tag ❤️

Travis head 0

Rare side to see

Originally posted by: Prizi

Travis head 0

Rare side to see

Head gone so tail comes early

Virat Kohli, former India captain, has been fined 20 per cent of his match fee in the India vs Australia 4th Test in Melbourne after a shoulder barge incident with debutant Sam Konstas on Thursday, sources told NDTV.

Originally posted by: Rosyme

Virat Kohli, former India captain, has been fined 20 per cent of his match fee in the India vs Australia 4th Test in Melbourne after a shoulder barge incident with debutant Sam Konstas on Thursday, sources told NDTV.

Abbe khel k dikhao.. Score banao

Originally posted by: Prizi

seriously man there was no need for that shoulder barge

Abbe khel k dikhao.. Score banao

Yes true. Siraj and Kohli are a bit rough guys

.