Teenager Sam Konstas hit the third-fastest half-century by an Australian Test debutant during the first day of the fourth Test on Boxing Day at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Konstas (60 off 65) was also involved in a heated exchange with Virat Kohli after the pair clashed at the end of the 10th minute with referee Michael Gove and Usman Khawaja having to step in to calm things down before the 19-year-old was sent off. Leg boxed by Ravindra Jadeja (1-54).
Khawaja (57), Marnus Labuschagne (72), and Steve Smith (68 not out) all made half-centuries in front of a crowd of 87,242 after skipper Pat Cummins elected to bat, reaching 311-6 in the final over, with Indian spinner Jasprit. Bumra (3-75) is the choice of bowlers.
Virat Kohli (right) engages in a heated conversation with Sam Konstas (left) and Usman Khawaja
Indian Virat Kohli got into a heated conversation with Australian Sam Konstas in the 10th over of the first day
Referee Michael Gove intervenes after Virat Kohli got into a heated exchange with debutant Sam Konstas on the first day of the Boxing Day Test.
“I think the feelings got to both of us,” Konstas told Australia's Channel 7.
“I wasn't quite aware of it, I was putting my gloves on, and then I moved the shoulder a little bit, but that happens in cricket.”
“Virat walked the entire field to his right and instigated it,” added former Australia captain Ricky Ponting.
Khawaja scored his maiden half-century of the series before Bumrah scored 154-2 when the left-hander bowled KL Rahul at mid-wicket.
Labuschagne then added 83 runs for the third wicket with Smith to take Australia to 237-2 but the hosts lost momentum when the former was caught at mid-wicket by spinner Washington Sundar (1-37).
Travis Head, the leading run-scorer in the series, was bowled for a duck by Bumrah in what was a crucial breakthrough for the tourists after three overs.
Bumrah then removed Mitchell Marsh (4) cheaply as Australia suffered a middle-order collapse, losing three wickets for nine runs.
Seamer Akash Deep (1-59) also contributed by removing Alex Carey (31) with the new ball to break a 53-run partnership with Smith, leaving Cummins (8no) at the crease to provide support.
The five-match series is level at 1-1 after a rain-soaked draw in Brisbane with the final Test scheduled to begin on January 3 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
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