AUSTRALIA V INDIA: Day four of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG:
SCORE: Australia 474 and 9-228, India 369
SUMMARY: Nitish Kumar Reddy made a pivotal 114 as India were dismissed early on day four. Indian ace Jasprit Bumrah (4-52) then went to work as fellow paceman Mohammed Siraj (3-66) produced arguably his best bowling of the Border-Gavaskar series. Between them, they reduced Australia to 6-91 before a fighting stand between Marnus Labuschagne (70) and Pat Cummins (41) averted disaster. A rearguard action of 55 for the last wicket from Nathan Lyon (41no) and Scott Boland (10) took the to 333 and could prove critical. Bumrah had Lyon caught in slips in the last over of the day, but it was a no-ball.
THE MOMENT: Until Sunday, teenaged wunderkind Sam Konstas had revelled in his Test debut – ramping Bumrah, scoring a half-century and revving up the crowd. When Bumrah bowled him for eight with a stunning delivery to start the rot for the home side, the Indian parodied his new Australian rival by also gesturing for the very pro-Indian crowd to make more noise.
THE PLAYER: It was back to normal programming for Bumrah, who had gone within one run of his first Test “reverse ton” in the first innings. After seeing off Konstas, he ripped through Travis Head and Mitch Marsh in the same over and also dismissed Alex Carey as Siraj also had a field day with the home side’s top order. While Bumrah was outstanding early in the Australian second innings, his last over of the day bled 14 valuable runs.
THE STATS: It’s been a fine Test for the No.8 batsmen. Following his first-innings 49, this is the most that Cummins has scored in a Test. It is also more than Marsh has scored in the entire series. Reddy was India’s No.8 in the first innings. India currently need their third-highest run chase, and the highest at the MCG, if they are to win. Their previous third-highest run chase was 7-329 to beat Australia at the Gabba in early 2021.
https://thewest.com.au/sport/cricket/bumrah-siraj-dominate-before-australian-rearguard-c-17228283
