Bumrah keeps battle alive

MCG TEST | Australia score 311/6 on first day after impressive Konstas debut

Jasprit Bumrah’s knack of coming up with magic deliveries in crunch situations kept India alive after Australia’s top-order, headlined by teen debutant Sam Konstas’ stroke-filled half-century, guided the hosts to 311 for 6 on the opening day of the fourth Test here on Thursday.

If Konstas’ audacious 60 off 65 balls enthralled the near sell-out crowd of over 80,000 at the MCG during a humid morning session, Bumrah’s (3/75 in 21 overs) deception of length to dismiss Travis Head (0) also had its takers as chants of ‘Boom, Boom, Booooomraaaaaaah’ reverberated through the stands.

Coming into the Test with back-to-back hundreds, Head couldn’t judge the length of a Bumrah delivery that was pitched slightly fuller than what the batter expected. He shouldered his arms trusting the bounce but the 66.2 overs old Kookaburra nipped back to clip the off-bail.