India’s seamers created early inroads by removing Australia’s openers cheaply, but the hosts have continued extending their lead on day four of the Boxing Day clash at the MCG.
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Sam Konstas and Usman Khawaja were both bowled through the gate during the morning session, dismissed by Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj respectively, as Australia pushed its lead beyond 150.
Teasing the Australian debutant, Bumrah riled up the Bharat Army after knocking over Konstas for 8 — a response to the teenager’s prior antics with Bay 13 — while Siraj celebrated his breakthrough by shushing his critics.
Australia is 2-53 at lunch, leading by 158 runs, with Marnus Labuschagne (20*) and Steve Smith (2*) unbeaten in the middle.
MATCH CENTRE: Australia vs India fourth Test scorecard, stats, summary
“Only get better” – Kerry on Konstas | 01:38
Earlier, India was bowled out for 369 after adding 11 runs to their overnight total, giving Australia a 105-run lead in the first innings.
Centurion Nitish Reddy Kumar holed out to long-off, dismissed by veteran spinner Nathan Lyon for 114, with Siraj unbeaten on 4.
But controversy struck moments before Kumar’s dismissal when Siraj seemingly edged a Pat Cummins yorker straight to Steve Smith at second slip. Believing there had been a bump ball, third umpire Sharfuddoula Saikat overturned the decision after briefly consulting the replays, a dubious decision that baffled the Australians.
“Rushed decision” leaves Cummins stunned | 02:24
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DAY 4 PREVIEW
Former Australian spinner Kerry O’Keeffe believed that “something is cooking” for India and that there are shades of 2020/21 with how the series is tracking.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy is delicately poised at 1-1 with both sides eyeing off victory.
“Something is cooking here. This is the way 2020 transpired. They drew a game in Sydney and knocked Australia out on the last day of the series to win it, and I think they’re cooking the same stuff here,” O’Keeffe told Fox Cricket’s Test Daily.
“If they can escape with a draw – they could even win – then it would be one of the miracles off the canvas recoveries that cricket has seen.”
O’Keeffe was full of praise for the way India fought through tough conditions on Saturday, with Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar leading the charge.
“The boxing analogy is valid, this has been a fantastic bout,” O’Keeffe said.
“It was captivating, it was traditional test cricket, there was not the unconventional we saw from Sam Konstas on day one.
“It was gripping… this is great theatre.”
Reddy remains at the crease at 105 not out, while Sundar made 50 before Nathan Lyon dismissed him late in the day.
“They got off the canvas and they were throwing punches,” O’Keeffe continued.
With Cameron Green ruled out of the series due to a back injury and Josh Hazlewood put on ice due to a calf problem, Australia’s bowling depth has been tested.
O’Keeffe raised concerns about the lack of a fifth bowling option, which has meant that bowlers like Pat Cummins, Mitch Starc and Scott Boland are having to carry more of a load.
“The fifth bowler wasn’t there – I know Mitch Marsh has said he’s available to bowl, but Pat Cummins has bowled him infrequently, just the seven overs yesterday,” he said.
“Australia is missing Cameron Green, they need the fifth bowler to bowl 10 -15 overs every innings and it falls back on Boland and Cummins and Starc to keep coming back, that’s exactly what happened when India last toured, they fatigued the quicks.”
Elsewhere, Scott Boland has backed a sore Mitchell Starc to push through the Boxing Day Test as pressure builds on Australia’s bowling attack after a barren third day at the MCG.
The Aussies enter day four leading by 116 runs, needing to take just one wicket once play begins early at 10am AEDT to resume the Sam Konstas show.
If they’re to win, they face a slightly awkward situation of needing to up the pace so they can earn a big enough lead while still having time to bowl India out a second time, but without being skittled themselves and potentially losing the Test – which would cost them the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and be a major blow in the World Test Championship.
On Saturday, Starc clutched at his left lower back after sending down a delivery in the second session and sought treatment on the boundary line from Australian team physio Nick Jones.
But the left-arm quick never left the field and continued with his spell, taking the ball again after an hour-long rain delay and continuing to hit speeds above 140km/h.
The 34-year-old has bowled 115.2 overs for the series – only eight fewer deliveries than the most-used bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Pat Cummins.
Dad in tears as Reddy reaches Test Ton! | 01:04
Speaking after stumps, Boland declared his teammate was “OK”, but had a niggling complaint “somewhere in his back or rib”.
“I think (Starc) is underrated for how tough he is. A couple of years ago here at the MCG, he had a broken finger, and we pretty much planned for him not to bowl at all, but he came out and bowled 140km/h swingers,” Boland said.
“He’s someone who can play through a lot of pain – he’s played close to 90 Test matches now, and as a fast bowler, there’s not many games where you do play without any niggle at all.
“He’s someone who can still bowl the same pace even when he is really sore, which is a great trait to have.”
Boland, who was once again Australia’s top bowler on his home ground with economical figures of 3-57 from 27 overs, said the MCG pitch was offering less movement than he would like as he cast doubt over whether it would take more turn in the final two days.
“I’m not too sure if it’s going to spin too much more. I think there’s a decent amount of grass on there, so I’m definitely hoping it spins a lot more,” he said.
“Hopefully there will be some variable bounce just as the Test match wicket gets a bit more tired – that would be ideal for us as a bowling group.”
Starc’s injury complaint was set to threaten his involvement in Sydney next week, paving the way for the potential inclusion of current squad members Jhye Richardson or Sean Abbott.
With Josh Hazlewood already sidelined by a calf injury and captain Pat Cummins likely to miss at least part of February’s Sri Lanka tour for the birth of his second child, the selectors will be eager to ensure Starc is fit to play.
‘That’s why you’re not head coach!’ | 02:10
Former selector Mark Waugh raised the possibility of Australia picking a second specialist spinner at the SCG and replacing Mitch Marsh with Beau Webster.
His call came as the veteran all-rounder, who has failed to fire with the bat this series, bowled only seven overs out of Australia’s 116 and struggled to get his speed above 120km/h when he was turned to before the tea break on day three.
“The last couple of summers the selectors have played the same attack pretty much all the way through … it’s just too much workload,” Waugh said on Fox Cricket.
“If it’s a spinning pitch, they might just play two quicks, Beau Webster and two spinners. You never know what you’re going to get at the SCG.
“They’ll probably bolster their squad with as many players as they can, then have a look at the pitch and see what the conditions are like.”
