"I Could’ve Dismissed Konstas Early in the Game": Jasprit Bumrah

Jasprit Bumrah reacted to facing Australian debutant Sam Konstas on Day 1 of the ongoing Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The 19-year-old's unique style did not faze Bumrah, even though Konstas played aggressively against the Indian pacer. Despite an early struggle, Konstas hit Bumrah for two sixes in the first hours of the match. On Day 3, Bumrah spoke to the broadcaster, reflecting on the encounter and noting that he was familiar with Konstas's approach, thanks to his years of experience in T20 cricket.

"I have experienced heaps of it. I have played T20s for the last 12 years of my life. Interesting batsman," Bumrah said to the broadcasters.

"I always felt that I was in the game, I never felt that I was far away from taking his wicket, maybe even 6-7 times in the first two overs. But you know, that's how cricket goes. Some days it pays off, it looks good, and some days it does not. I love different challenges and I am always looking forward to it," Bumrah concluded.

Indian Bowlers Struggle to Contain Australia’s Onslaught

Konstas didn't stop there; he continued to dominate, scoring a rapid 60 runs off 65 balls. His explosive innings set the foundation for Australia's strong first innings as the Indian bowlers struggled to stop the onslaught. Konstas' fiery start gave room for players like Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith to build on it all with solid knocks. Australia finished their innings with a dominant total of 474, while India was struggling at 164/5 at the end of day 2 with Yashasvi Jaiswal being the top scorer for India, who was determined to play 82.

As of Day 3, India was at 326/7, with Nitish Kumar Reddy on 85* and Washington Sundar on 39* at the crease. Nitish fought bravely against Australia's strong bowling attack holding his ground single-handedly. India still trails by 148 runs.