Boxing Day Test: Jasprit Bumrah’s late performance kept the door open for the visitors at the MCG, while hosts Australia were unable to completely shut out India.

Boxing Day Test: Marnus Labuschagne was chatting merrily with the broadcasters during their drinks break at 237 for 2. He and Usman Khawaja had slipped through the slipstream created by the sensational Test debut of the teenage Sam Konstas, who played as though he had walked in from the beach, picked up a bat, and proceeded to thrash the Indians in a manner that would live in the memory of a record crowd for a Test match against India in Australia. There was every reason for that mood.

However, the mini Australian wobble appeared shortly after the drinks break. Ultimately, Australia finished the day at 311 for 6, allowing India to be beaten despite a 52-run partnership between Steve Smith and Alex Carey.

It perfectly encapsulated the current state of the series: two subpar batting units that somehow manage to either collapse or fail to complete the task they begin. Although Australia is not in a particularly precarious position, they did not finish the day well and gave India a sniff on a pitch where only the new ball made an impact.

After the interval, Labuschagne charged out the first ball to heave Washington Sundar, but he was unable to get past a leaping Virat Kohli at mid-off. Jasprit Bumrah comes on stage. For the first time in the series, he went around the stumps to Australia’s crisis-man, Travis Head, who was in a crisis-less situation. Intriguingly, Indians had nearly given up on this line of attack after Adelaide. Despite hearing the rattle, the head shrugged its arms.

Marsh, who was trying to defend, was being troubled by a string of back-of-length kickers from Bumrah. When the batsman chose to go for a counterattacking pull, he was only able to feather it behind to Rishabh Pant. Although the hosts were officially having a rough time (246 for 5), Steve Smith, who appeared much more confident than ever in the series, and the busybee Alex Carey kept the Indians waiting and worried.

Carey, however, fell to the second new ball at 299. After bowling tirelessly on yet another unlucky day, Akash Deep had one leaping from back of length that brushed the gloves on his way to Pant.

Shubman Gill was seen trudging off to the dressing room at the beginning of the day as the rest of his teammates were either milling or practicing in the arena. For the sake of “balance,” he was removed from the team, and Washington Sundar took his place.

As Bumrah finished his first spell with a score of 6-2-38-0 and was hit for two sixes with the new ball, more oddities were in store for us. Before the youngster decided it was time to play his card, he had already troubled Konstas a couple more times and defeated him four times in the first over. The bold lapscoops arrived after a sway to the left and right. Did he ever consider how foolish he might have appeared if he had been bowled while attempting to do it?

Konstas would later remark, “I suppose it would have, but I am fairly confident about that shot because I have worked really hard.” “I guess that’s the charm of being young and most likely impressionable!” He would repeat what his captain had said.

The day before, Cummins had described himself as “young and naive” in reference to his own incredible Test debut in South Africa at the age of 18.Carey, however, fell to the second new ball at 299. After bowling tirelessly on yet another unlucky day, Akash Deep had one leaping from back of length that brushed the gloves on his way to Pant.

Shubman Gill was seen trudging off to the dressing room at the beginning of the day as the rest of his teammates were either milling or practicing in the arena. For the sake of “balance,” he was removed from the team, and Washington Sundar took his place.

After hitting the crucial runs and grabbing a six-for in that Test match, Cummins would sit and chat with Dale Steyn, one of the bowlers he greatly admired. Konstas was involved in a shoulder-barge incident with Virat Kohli, one of his favorite batsmen, in the meantime. By claiming that it was an “accidental” bump from Kohli, he adopted the elegant high road. I believe he bumped into me by accident while I was adjusting my gloves. Cricket is that. It takes place.

He would also describe the dream debut as “surreal.” “Very strange. largest audience I’ve ever performed for. The boys also made me feel welcome. I was sad that I had to leave. While it wasn’t shocking that a batsman who took “risks” he doesn’t necessarily consider to be risks managed to escape, it was surprising that he managed to stay in the game long enough to surprise the Indians without altering his strategy.

He has every reason to be disappointed that he didn’t score a hundred, but his teammates should also be disappointed because they let India gatecrash by leaving the gate slightly open. Evidence suggests that the new ball does something, but other than that, at least on this first day, it has been comparatively flat. The breeze still brought dry heat into the arena, even though the weather wasn’t as bad as predicted. It is anticipated to cool starting on Thursday, though it is unclear if this will have any impact on the movement.

It was a day filled with relief, sighs, and goosebumps. The moment was made even more surreal by the fact that it was the legendary Australian captain Mark Taylor who gave the brave teenager the baggy green in front of a record-breaking crowd of 87242. Australia made the crowd sigh by giving up wickets, saving Indians who might have ended up under the mat, after they had recovered from the goosebumps the child had given them.