India vs Australia Live Cricket Score, 4th Test Day 1 (India National Cricket Team vs Australia National Cricket Team Match Scorecard): Hello and welcome to the live blog of the Boxing Day Test – the fourth fixture of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Australian captain Pat Cummins has opted to bat first after winning the toss. India has made one change to the playing XI from the last match that ended in a draw at The Gabba. All-rounder Washington Sundar has been included in place of Shubman Gill.
During the toss, Indian captain Rohit Sharma has confirmed that he will open the innings, and Rahul is most likely to take the No. 3 position now.
The rain-affected draw at the Gabba was like a soothing balm for India after the pink-ball Test debacle in Adelaide. But now, India are back at one of their favourite Australian venues where they have remained undefeated in Tests since the 2014 series.
The last two (2018-19 and 2020-21) of the three Tests (the other being 2014-15) resulted in Indian wins where solid batting played its part.
Playing XIs:
Australia: Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (WK), Pat Cummins (C), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland.
India: Rohit Sharma (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
LIVE FEED
18.6 – Just outside off, nipping back in a touch on a fuller length. Usman Khawaja makes a tight leave by covering the stumps.
Batsman_1 : Usman Khawaja 28(51)
Batsman_2 : Sam Konstas 60(63)
Bowler : Akash Deep 0/8(4)
Over : 19
Run : 3
Wicket : 0
Score : 89/0
18.5 – Length, on off, worked to the off side by Khawaja.
18.4 – EDGED BUT SHORT OF KOHLI AT THE SECOND SLIP! Nice and full from Akash, just around off, Usman Khawaja gets his bat way ahead of his body and tries to block but gets a thick outside edge. It lands just short ahead of Kohli who makes a diving stop on the bounce to his left.
17.1 – An appeal for LBW, but the umpire seems uninterested! Rohit Sharma quickly walks towards Jadeja with Pant too, joining in the discussion and they decide not to review it. Jadeja bowls a flatter one, on the middle and leg, Sam Konstas is caught in the crease and plays over the line of the ball, gets beaten on the inside edge and gets hit on the pads. The Ball Tracker later shows that it would’ve been the umpire’s call on the wickets as it clips the leg stump.
18.3 – Pitched up, full and on off, Usman Khawaja gets forward and knocks it back to the bowler.
18.2 – Hard length, angling on off. Usman Khawaja hops on the back foot and tucks it across to mid-wicket.
18.1 – Back of a length, on off, Sam Konstas dances down the track and punches it through covers for three more runs. KL Rahul from the inner ring chases the ball before the ropes.
17.6 – A slider outside off, on a fuller length. Usman Khawaja offers no shot.
Batsman_1 : Usman Khawaja 28(46)
Batsman_2 : Sam Konstas 57(62)
Bowler : Ravindra Jadeja 0/8(2)
Over : 18
Run : 3
Wicket : 0
Score : 86/0
17.1 – An appeal for LBW, but the umpire seems uninterested! Rohit Sharma quickly walks towards Jadeja with Pant too, joining in the discussion and they decide not to review it. Jadeja bowls a flatter one, on the middle and leg, Sam Konstas is caught in the crease and plays over the line of the ball, gets beaten on the inside edge and gets hit on the pads. The Ball Tracker later shows that it would’ve been umpire’s call on the wickets.
17.5 – Around off, on a fuller length, Usman Khawaja leans on and drives it straight to cover.
17.4 – Drops it full does Jadeja, on off, Sam Konstas drives it along the ground to long off for one.
17.3 – Fuller length outside off. Khawaja rocks back and punches it to backward point for a single.
17.2 – Short and on off, Konstas punches it down to long off for a single.
17.1 – An appeal for LBW, but the umpire seems uninterested!
16.6 – Outside off on a good length, Usman Khawaja covers the stumps and lets it through to the keeper. A maiden over. One feels after a long time.
Batsman_1 : Usman Khawaja 27(43)
Batsman_2 : Sam Konstas 55(59)
Bowler : Akash Deep 0/5(3)
Over : 17
Run : 0
Wicket : 0
Score : 83/0
16.5 – Back of a length, skidding through the surface, outside off. Usman Khawaja offers no shot at it.
16.4 – Akash brings the angle on the off stump, on a fuller length. Usman Khawaja prods forward and defends it out.
16.3 – A bit of tail back in from outside off, on a fullish length. Usman Khawaja watches it till the end and sees it pass through to the keeper.
16.2 – A muted appeal for LBW, but only for a brief moment! Short of a good length, pitching outside off, Usman Khawaja goes for a pull shot but misses as he plays over it. The ball goes to the gully region off the thigh pad.
DRINKS! With just under 40 minutes or so to go for the Lunch break on Day 1, the players will have another short hydration break. It’s been more of the same from Sam Konstas and Australia as they have piled on the runs and with Konstas taking down Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj without much of a fuss, things are looking to heat up even more soon. Can India find a wicket or two before the Lunch interval and even out the session a bit? Let’s find out…
16.1 – Akash from around the stumps, bowls a fuller one, outside off, Usman Khawaja strides across and stabs it into the off side.
15.6 – A bit slower through the air, on a fraction fuller length, around off, Sam Konstas gets half-forward and works it straight to the cover fielder.
Batsman_1 : Sam Konstas 55(59)
Batsman_2 : Usman Khawaja 27(37)
Bowler : Ravindra Jadeja 0/5(1)
Over : 16
Run : 5
Wicket : 0
Score : 83/0
15.5 – Drops short and turns back in into the batter, Usman Khawaja hangs back and punches it to wide of cover for a single.
15.4 – Nice and full, on the stumps, Usman Khawaja knocks it in front.
15.3 – Quick and flat, full and on off, pushed in front by Khawaja.
15.2 – FOUR! Pulled away! Runs continue to flow for the Australians. Short again from Jadeja, on the stumps, Usman Khawaja gets on the back foot again and executes the pull shot. Gets it through deep square leg for a cracking boundary.
First signs of spin from India as Ravindra Jadeja comes into the attack. There’s just a slight delay as Yashasvi Jaiswal gets padded on to go and stand at short leg.
15.1 – Jadeja begins from around the stumps. Drops it on a length, around off, Usman Khawaja gets on the back foot and knocks it back.
14.5 – Angling down leg on a fullish length, Sam Konstas misses on the flick shot.
14.4 – IN THE AIR…just lands safe behind KL Rahul at short mid-wicket. Short of a good length, angling in from outside off, Khawaja prepares for a pull shot and goes through. But gets a top edge which flies and lands behind the short mid-wicket region for a single.
14.3 – Akash goes wide of the crease and brings the angle into the batter, on a good length, over the middle, Usman Khawaja makes a tight leave.
14.6 – Swing and a miss! Akash Deep bashes the hard length, and gets a hint of an away movement from outside off. Sam Konstas dances down the track to slap it through the covers, misses by a thin margin. Good carry to the keeper, Pant.
