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AUS vs IND: First day’s play ends.. Top 4 batters score half centuries.. Aussies score 311/6

Boxing Day Test..: Aussie batters dominated Indian bowlers on the first day of the Boxing Day Test.

–Galla S Kiran Kumar, Bureau Chief
Internet Desk: The Aussie batsmen were on fire in the Boxing Day Test (AUS vs IND). The top-4 batsmen in the batting order scored half-centuries. At the end of the first day’s play, Australia had scored 311 runs for the loss of six wickets in 86 overs. Steve Smith (68*) and Pat Cummins (8*) were at the crease. Earlier, openers Sam Constas (60), Usman Khawaja (57) and Marnus Labuschagne (57) scored half-centuries. Among the Indian bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah took 3 wickets. Akash Deep, Sundar and Jadeja took one wicket each.

Partnerships of 50+ for the first three wickets

The Aussies opted to bat as soon as they won the toss, believing that the Melbourne (Boxing Day Test) pitch would be suitable for batting. The Aussies’ openers gave a good start accordingly. Most notably, Sam Constas showed aggression. He played cautiously in the first three overs.. He hit shots targeting Bumrah. Along with Usman Khawaja, he added 89 runs for the first wicket. In this process, he became the second Aussie batsman to score a half-century on his debut Test and at a young age. Usman Khawaja led the innings along with Marnus Labuschagne (72), who came out to bat after Sam was dismissed. He added 65 runs for the second wicket. After completing his half-century, Khawaja reached the pavilion. Labuschagne, along with Steve Smith, who was struggling with form, put on runs on the scoreboard. They built an 83-run partnership for the third wicket.

Bumrah again..

The Indian batsmen were in a dilemma at one stage as the top-4 batsmen played aggressively. Bumrah did not make much of an impact in the beginning. But, he became dangerous as the ball got old. He sent the key players Khawaja, Travis Head (0), and Mitchell Marsh (4) to the pavilion. Alex Carey (31), who tried to play a little aggressively, was dismissed by Akash Deep. Constas reached the pavilion off Jadeja’s bowling and Labuschagne reached the pavilion off Sundar’s bowling.

Some more features..

  • The Aussie batsmen recorded 50+ partnerships for the first three wickets in a Test against Pakistan in 2017. Now they have achieved the feat once again against India.
  • Bumrah dismissed Khawaja five times in six innings in this series. Khawaja scored only 24 runs off 87 balls under Bumrah’s bowling. However, it is noteworthy that he scored his first half-century in this series.
  • The Aussies scored 112/1 in the first session of the first day of Boxing Day. They had previously scored 111/0 against India (in 2007).
  • Sam Constas was the only batsman to play aggressively against Bumrah’s bowling. He scored 34 runs off 33 balls. Previously, Alastair Cook (25 runs off 40 balls) had achieved this. Bumrah bowled a six after almost 4,484 balls in Tests. With this, Constas became the second batsman to hit two sixes. Only Jos Buttler (2018) has achieved this feat.
  • Sam Constas (19 years and 85 days) is the second-youngest player to score a half-century for Australia, behind Ian Craig (17 years and 240 days), who scored a half-century against South Africa in 1953.

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