With stats of 3 for 75 in 21 overs, Bumrah concluded Day 1 of the ongoing Boxing Day Test between Australia and India in Melbourne.On Thursday, December 26, Australia's top-order, led by teenage debutant Sam Konstas' stroke-filled half-century, led the hosts to 311 for 6 before world No. 1 Test bowler Jasprit Bumrah overcame a lackluster start to take three wickets for India and keep the visitors alive.
Bumrah's (3/75 in 21 overs) deception of length to dismiss Travis Head (0) also had its takers as cries of "Boom, Boom, Booooomraaaaaaah" echoed through the stands on a humid morning when Konstas' bold 60 off 65 balls captivated the nearly sold-out crowd of over 80,000 at the MCG.
Head was unable to predict the length of a Bumrah delivery that was thrown a little longer than the batter had anticipated because he had just come off back-to-back hundreds going into the Test. The 66.2-over veteran Kookaburra snuck back to clip the off-bail as he shouldered his arms in the hopes that they would bounce.
After receiving Usman Khawaja (57 off 121 balls) with the half-tracker in the post-lunch session, he dismissed an unproductive Mitchell Marsh (4) in the following over.
However, Australia dominated the first two sessions, with half-centuries from veteran batsmen Steve Smith (68 batting, 111 balls), Marnus Labuschagne (72 off 145 balls), and Khawaja.
The focus of the last class was Bumrah magic. At one point, the hosts threatened to win the game, but the Indian leadership prevented them from doing so.
In the series, he has now claimed 24 wickets. With off-spinner Washington Sundar (1/37 in 12 overs) bowling a containing line and Mohammed Siraj (0/69 in 15 overs) out of form, Bumrah had little help.
At the end of the day, however, Akash Deep (1/59 in 19 overs) got Alex Carey with the second new ball.
Despite dismissing Konstas and using batting all-rounder Nitish Reddy only before the second new ball was taken, even Ravindra Jadeja (1/54 in 14 overs) gave up runs.
"Sam Jams at the G"
The bright 19-year-old from New South Wales owned the morning.
Throughout his thrilling knock, which included two sixes off Bumrah, Konstas shown no signs of nervousness.
He also didn't mind a nice tussle with Virat Kohli, the Indian superstar, who gave the 19-year-old a shoulder rub that resulted in a brief altercation.
For the first time since Cameron Green hit him for a six in 2021, Bumrah was really hit for a six in a Test match. There were 4000 legal deliveries in Test matches between Green's six three years ago and Konstas' maiden six, which was a lap scoop.
Konstas hit a reverse lap scoop towards third man for extra boundary after a traditional lap scoop for maximum. Over mid-on, the second six was hammered.
He gave his seasoned opening partner Khawaja a chance to return to form with a patient half-century by attacking the Indian bowling with zest.
However, Khawaja will be furious with himself when, during the post-lunch session, he failed to time a pull shot off a Bumrah half-tracker, which went directly into KL Rahul's hands.
The pair scored 89 runs so quickly that Labuschagne and Smith, the centurion from the previous game, didn't have to act hurriedly.
It all started for Konstas with a few plays and misses in Bumrah's opening over, but everything drastically changed once the teenager scored his first few runs.
When Konstas performed the lap-scoop against Bumrah and then smashed him over mid-on for another maximum, it was evident how fearless young people can be on a large platform.
Both experts and fans were compelled to consider the last time Bumrah smashed two sixes in his opening spell of a Test match (1/50 in 15 overs). Since it never occurred during a first spell, they were unable to.
Bumrah was heard saying "Beginner's Luck" on the stump mic, but Konstas appeared to have enough merchandise to respond to his pointed questions. And it was full of sarcasm when he and Kohli engaged in a verbal sparring match as their shoulders collided as they crossed each other.
He frequently shuffled toward the leg-stump to create space, and once he crunched Bumrah past the cover.
A loud wave of jeers greeted Mohammed Siraj as he sledged the child because of his unusual hitting style.
In addition to the two maximums, Konstas hit six fours overall. Siraj was guilty of going too full or too short, while Akash was the only pacer to deliver a decent channel.
In order to at least stop the run-flow before it got out of control, captain Rohit Sharma had to bring in Ravindra Jadeja (1/33 in 11 overs) in the 16th over as Australia scored at a more than reasonable pace.
The seasoned spinner's choice paid off as he skidded through an arm ball with the angle to trap Konstas in front.
The Pakistan-born opener struck Akash for a couple of boundaries to reach his first fifty of the series, and Khawaja and Labuschagne then combined 65 for the second wicket.
In order to at least stop the run-flow before it got out of control, captain Rohit Sharma had to bring in Ravindra Jadeja (1/33 in 11 overs) in the 16th over as Australia scored at a more than reasonable pace.
The seasoned spinner's choice paid off as he skidded through an arm ball with the angle to trap Konstas in front.
The Pakistan-born opener struck Akash for a couple of boundaries to reach his first fifty of the series, and Khawaja and Labuschagne then combined 65 for the second wicket.
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