Top Gun 4: Oz batters foil India's plans

In front of record number of fans at MCG on Day 1, Australia top-four help

- GOMESH S

JUST as India walked off the field at 12.30PM local time on Thursday at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, they seemed resigned. Sam Konstas had set the tone upfront; Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne had followed through as Australia went to lunch with a score of 112/1 in 25 overs.

It was a session that had many firsts. From Australia fielding their youngest-ever Test opener to Jasprit Bumrah getting hit for a six in the longest format after three years to Australia getting their best opening stand since 2023 Boxing Day Test and so on. But most of all, it was about Konstas disrupting India's plans and setting the tone for the rest of the innings in front of 87,242 fans on debut.

In a session where India bowled 26 overs, Bumrah bowled almost one-third of it - eight overs, three maidens for 41 runs - split into two spells. And this came despite India fielding six bowlers, opting Washington Sundar over Shubman Gill. While one could argue that they wanted Bumrah to bowl most while the ball had some movement, the fact that Konstas threw him off the length and India fielded two spinners on a pitch that was flatter than expected despite them having a piece of the teen sensation in Canberra felt a bit confusing.