India’s spearhead, Jasprit Bumrah, ripped the heart out of Australia’s top order – and potentially blew up the home side’s chances of regaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy – with a potent spell of bowling at the MCG on Sunday.
The fearsome fast bowler became the first man in Test history to take 200 wickets at an average of under 20 as Australia collapsed on the fourth day of the fourth Test, putting a huge dent in their hopes of a series win.
India’s Jasprit Bumrah celebrates the wicket of Australia’s Travis Head. Credit: AP
Moving along steadily at 2-80 and with a 185-run lead, Australia lost 3-4 in 10 balls before Bumrah bowled Alex Carey to leave the home side in disarray at 6-91.
India had started the day at $7.50 with bookmakers but rocketed into favouritism ahead of what will be a fascinating fourth-innings run chase. Crucial knocks from Marnus Labuschagne (65 not out at tea) and Pat Cummins (21 not out at tea) helped Australia restore some pride late in the middle session.
Australia were 6-135 at tea with a lead of 240 runs. Bumrah had figures of 4-30 from 14 overs, taking his series tally to 29 wickets at 12.34.
Here’s how the carnage at the hands of Bumrah unfolded.
Sam Konstas – 8 runs off 18 balls (Australia 1-20)
The 19-year-old debutant, fresh from an entertaining 60 in the first innings, couldn’t get Bumrah away like he did on Thursday. From the outset, India put fielders back at third man and fine leg to nullify the risk of Konstas playing ramp shots. Konstas played more conventional shots than his maiden innings but was on the receiving end of a beautiful ball from Bumrah that seamed back in and cannoned into his middle stump.
Bumrah was delighted at the wicket and even mocked Konstas on the way through by imitating the teenager’s hand gestures that he’d been giving to the crowd while fielding.
Usman Khawaja – 21 from 65 balls (Australia 2-43)
Dug in and absorbed 18 overs of the new ball before missing a ball on his off stump from Mohammed Siraj.
Steve Smith – 13 off 41 balls (Australia 3-80)
Played the worst shot of the lot to trigger Australia’s collapse. After an excellent first-innings hundred, Smith’s eyes lit up at a ball wide outside the off stump. But a lack of foot and head movement saw the veteran edge the ball behind to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant and a disappointed Smith was on his way back to the dressing rooms, having fallen 38 runs shy of reaching 10,000 Test runs.
Travis Head – 1 off 2 balls (Australia 4-85)
The leading run-scorer in this series made a duck on day one before adding just one run to his overall match tally. Just five balls after Siraj removed Smith, Head tried to work a ball to the leg side off his pads but was easily caught. It was his lowest return in a Test since his two ducks against the West Indies in Brisbane in January.
Mitch Marsh – fourth-ball duck (Australia 5-85)
Australia’s No.6 registered his sixth single-digit score from seven visits to the crease in this series. Before the third Test in Brisbane, Marsh was the only member of Australia’s top seven who hadn’t been dismissed by Bumrah. He joked at a press conference that his time was coming. It certainly was, with Bumrah now having dismissed Marsh in three of his last four innings. A faint glove through to the wicketkeeper on Sunday capped another miserable Test for Marsh, whose spot in the team is under the microscope.
Alex Carey – 2 off 7 balls (Australia 6-91)
Bumrah picked up his third wicket in 11 balls during a devastating 20-minute window by bowling Carey through the gate. Australia’s wicketkeeper didn’t look like hitting it.
The glue to Australia’s innings, however, has been Labuschagne, who went to tea unbeaten after being dropped on 46 by Yashasvi Jaiswal in the slips.
With Australia at 6-99, it could turn out to be a defining moment in the match and the series.
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