By Tom Decent
India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant accused Sam Konstas and Australia of deliberate time-wasting after a tense final over at the SCG saw Jasprit Bumrah exchange words with the 19-year-old on a dramatic finish to Friday’s play.
A day that started with India winning the toss and batting ended with the visitors’ star fast bowler staring down Australia’s young gun after dismissing Usman Khawaja with the last ball before stumps.
Scott Boland’s four-wicket haul had given Australia the upper hand before a dramatic final few minutes set the scene for day two.
Australia’s quest to wrest the Border-Gavaskar Trophy from India’s grip went largely to plan on day one thanks to another dominant bowling display.
India’s total of 185 was the lowest by a touring team in the first innings of a match at the SCG since Sachin Tendulkar’s side of 2000 were bowled out for 150.
After officially becoming the youngest Australian to play a Test at the SCG, Konstas again showed his fearless approach by charging down the wicket at Bumrah on the first ball of Australia’s innings.
Konstas and Bumrah were involved in a fiery exchange.Credit: AP
The ball sailed onto the leg side for a boundary as many Sydneysiders got their first live look at a player touted by many as a generational talent.
Konstas tried the shot again in the final over of the day but played and missed. He is certainly doing things his way.
Bumrah, who posed for a photo with Konstas’ parents in the presence of Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at Kirribilli House on Wednesday evening, again didn’t take kindly to the teenager’s brash approach.
India’s strike weapon looked annoyed at Konstas for what he believed were time-wasting tactics as scheduled stumps time of 6pm (AEDT) approached.
Konstas didn’t take a backwards step, exchanging words with Bumrah in a confrontation that sent the large SCG crowd wild.
When Bumrah had Khawaja caught in the slips off the final ball of the day, the veteran turned in Konstas’ direction and appeared to give him a mouthful. Following the dismissal of Khawaja, several India players, including Bumrah and Virat Kohli, were quick to remonstrate with Konstas.
Khawaja’s dismissal left Australia 1-9 at stumps, with Konstas unbeaten on seven.
“They [Konstas and Khawaja] wanted to waste some time,” Pant told reporters after play. “I feel that’s the reason he had a conversation with Jasprit. He said something, I didn’t hear it. But I feel that’s the only thing he wanted to do, just waste some time so we didn’t bowl one more over.”
Australian debutant Beau Webster was quizzed about the exchange after play.
“It was an interesting one,” Webster said. “I was just sitting next to Heady [Travis Head] in the rooms, watching on the TV. He’s a very confident young man. It’s what they do these days, those youngsters, they sort of get after it and put themselves out there.
“Hopefully he has a really good day tomorrow and puts a few runs on the board and gets [us] in a decent position.”
Former Australian coach Darren Lehmann put forward an easy solution if umpires believed there was deliberate time-wasting late in the day as fielding teams tried to get overs in.
Scott Boland turned in another fine display with the ball.Credit: Getty Images
“I would like to see the rule change that if a team delays too much, the umpire has the right to force another over,” Lehmann said on ABC Sport.
Earlier, Boland continued his lethal form, taking 4-31 to boost his series tally to 15 wickets at 15.46. He was also on a hat-trick, removing Ravindra Jadeja (26) and Melbourne century-maker Nitish Kumar Reddy in consecutive balls.
The hat-trick ball beat Washington Sundar all ends up but didn’t find an edge.
Boland could have been on another hat-trick earlier in the innings, outsmarting Yashasvi Jaiswal (10) before Virat Kohli survived when third umpire Joel Wilson ruled the ball had brushed the ground as Steve Smith attempted a catch that ended in the hands of Marnus Labuschagne following an outside edge.
Kohli perished cheaply not long afterwards, caught behind the wicket on the off side for the seventh time this series, for 17.
The crowd of 47,566 was the highest for a day of Test cricket at the SCG since 53,001 turned out to watch Australia take on the West Indies in 1976.
Mitchell Starc (3-49) and Pat Cummins (2-37) also had good days with the ball, while Webster impressed on debut.
“I was able to get in the game early with some catches. It was definitely a way to settle the nerves,” Webster said.
Beau Webster celebrates his first Test catch against India.Credit: AP
In 2011, Nathan Lyon picked up his first Test wicket by removing Kumar Sangakkara courtesy of a wonderful diving catch from Michael Clarke.
There was a similar scenario on Friday, with Lyon this time fielding in the gully as Webster charged seeking his first Test scalp. However, Lyon couldn’t hold on to the chance that went his way off the bat of Jadeja.
Webster will have to wait for his maiden wicket.
“I’m not sure why he was in gully,” Webster said with a laugh. “They said Starc should have been in gully but he’s found his way there.
“I actually did throw five overthrows straight after that, which was not on purpose. It was a sharp chance and it was a bit of a half-volley. Certainly won’t be bringing that up with a man who’s got 500 wickets.”
