New Delhi: The law of averages caught up with Australia’s opener Sam Konstas in the second innings of his Test career. On Day 4 of the fourth Test in Melbourne, his stumps were shattered early by Jasprit Bumrah, the same bowler he had hit for a six during his debut innings.
Australia’s 19-year-old Sam Konstas pulled off the unthinkable on Day 1 of the fourth Test in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Melbourne. The debutant took on one of the greatest bowlers of the modern era, Jasprit Bumrah, hitting him for a series of boundary strokes, including a daring ramp six. However, Bumrah made sure it was a one-off as he struck back with an early dismissal of Konstas on Sunday.
Bumrah didn’t let Konstas settle at the start of Australia’s second innings. The India vice-captain kept troubling the youngster before dismissing him on the third ball of the seventh over. Bumrah bowled a 139.7 km/h delivery that seamed in sharply from outside off. Caught in the crease, Konstas was unable to react in time as the ball snuck through the gap and hit the top of middle stump.
Australia quickly claimed the final wicket of the Indian innings on Sunday morning, wrapping up India’s first innings at 369 and taking a healthy 105-run lead. Nitish Kumar Reddy, India’s centurion, was the last to fall, dismissed by Nathan Lyon for 114. Lyon finished with figures of 3 for 96, matching the efforts of pacers Pat Cummins (3 for 89) and Scott Boland (3 for 57).
The Indian bowlers started with much more discipline, and Bumrah made the new ball count by dismissing Konstas in the 7th over. Konstas followed his brisk 60 in the first innings with just 8 runs in the second.
MIDDLE STUMP! Jasprit Bumrah gets Sam Konstas with a pearler. #AUSvIND | #DeliveredWithSpeed | @NBN_Australia pic.twitter.com/A1BzrcHJB8
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 29, 2024
The ball seamed in after pitching, moving sharply to find the gap between bat and pad, hitting the top of middle stump and triggering celebrations in the Indian camp. At that point, Australia were 20 for 1, bringing Marnus Labuschagne in to join Usman Khawaja.
Currently, Australia are 9 down for 197, leading India by 302 runs.
