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Live: Fearless Konstas makes wild start to Test debut as Australia bats first at MCG

Live: Fearless Konstas makes wild start to Test debut as Australia bats first at MCG

12th over – Siraj is back, with Khawaja on strike

Maybe things will calm down now.

11th over – Virat Kohli has shouldered Sam Konstas

At the change of ends, Virat Kohli just walked from slip to slip and made a beeline for Konstas, shouldering him with decent force.

Kohli turns around as if he did nothing wrong, but that was a pretty weak move from an experienced player.

Khawaja puts an arm around Kohli, trying (along with the umpires) to cool things down.

Crushed! What a response from Konstas, belting Bumrah through mid-off for four.

Bumrah tries a slower ball and it almost bamboozles young Konstas, who just barely keeps it out.

SIX! Konstas launches Bumrah over long-on.

Four more!! This time he backs away and guides it through gully.

Another one over mid-off, but he doesn’t get all of it this time. Just two runs.

10th over – Kontas faces Siraj

A lovely shot from Konstas as he charges and punches through cover for two.

Beaten like a dirty rug! Siraj angles one in and Konstas tries an upright off drive of some sort, and he misses it by some distance.

He charges and creams a ball back into Siraj, who has plenty to say.

FOUR! He backs away and crushes four behind point. And he stares at Siraj down all the way down the pitch.

9th over – What can Bumrah do against Konstas’s madness?

He spears one onto the pad and it’s going down leg.

India has taken KL Rahul out of the slips and sent him down to deep third man. Probably a good call. Force him to try to take him on or play some traditional cricket shots.

Edged, but it falls short of second slip, just barely. Top of off looks the length to bowl at Konstas. He’s left a few tight ones and now a big edge from that length.

Bumrah comes around the wicket to the left-handed Khawaja. And beats the outside edge.

Four. Too full, too straight, too easy for Khawaja to clips off his toes.

8th over – Usman Khawaja stares down Mohammed Siraj

Another loosener to start the over from Siraj and Rishabh Pant manages to wrestle it to the ground.

Short and crushed on the pull by Khawaja. That’s his shot. Don’t bowl there.

Konstas charges and tries a thrash through the leg side and gets another inside edge. And then a traditional inside edge for a single.

Khawaja guides a ball behind point for two, so Konstas stays on strike for Bumrah.

7th over – Konstas takes the strike back to Bumrah

FOUR!! On the ramp and it just misses going for six.

Sam Konstas plays a cricket shot.
(Getty)

SIX! THIS TIME THE REVERSE RAMP!!! He’s got his eye in now and Bumrah is in a battle he’s not used to now.

He charges, Bumrah swings it away from him and Konstas can’t reach it.

Followed by a tight leave.

FOUR MORE! The reverse ramp is this kid’s cover drive. This is insanity.

And a classic forward defensive to end the over gets the crowd going.

6th over – Siraj to Khawaja, maybe some classic cricket at this end

Another one just outside off, then Khawaja edges away to gully in classic Khawaja nailed-to-the-crease fashion.

Khawaja cracks a pull shot through mid-wicket and takes three. That was short and wide and there to be hit.

So Konstas finally gets away from Bumrah. I mean, he doesn’t seem to mind, but it’s freaking me out.

Half a shout from everyone except Siraj, who goes with a full shout, to a ball going over the stumps and down leg.

He’s charged and tried to hit him out the ground, once again missing everything. Siraj has a word.

Sammy hears ya, Sammy don’t care. He charges again and flicks off the pads for three more this time.

Wild start

With respect, who does this kid think he is? Ludicrous shot selection.

– What the heck?

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5th over – What does this over of Bumrah to Konstas have in store?

Another wide leave and another unnecessary call of “No” from Konstas.

Oh, Bumrah fires in at his pads and Konstas awkwardly gets squared up and edges away to the off side.

Another attempted reverse ramp! And he’s missed it by a foot. That could have been creamed through the covers.

And now he leaves a ball that misses the top of off by a coat of varnish.

Almost bowled him! Finally the big in-swinger is on point and Konstas just barely gets enough bat on it to chunk an edge onto his pads. Big wide gate there for Bumrah to aim at.

4th over – Siraj charges in again

Khawaja is walking at him and he’s hit on the pads. Siraj swings it into the pads and runs off celebrating before remembering to ask the question.

The umpire says no, rightfully. BUT ROHIT SHARMA REVIEWS!

The ball hit him above the knee roll while Khawaja was walking miles down the wicket.

NOT OUT. Obviously. Of course. What a silly review. And it’s missing too high, so India loses a review.

Siraj is in Broad territory in terms of celebrating when he should be appealing, but he’s even worse because he does it when things aren’t even close.

Four! Khawaja joins the scoring with a clip fine off his pads.

3rd over – Bumrah charging in at the rook

RUNS! Sam Konstas gets a ball on his thigh and turns behind square, running through for two. There are his first runs in Test cricket.

Sam Konstas plays off his pads into the leg side for a runs against India at the MCG
(AAP)

Defended and a big “NO”, accompanied by a shuffle down the pitch. This bloke is vibrating with nervous energy.

Good lord. He’s tried a reverse ramp shot to his 11th ball in Test cricket. It misses everything, mercifully for Konstas. Khawaja is wetting himself laughing at the other end.

And then he’s absolutely done by another stunner from Bumrah. This is a hilarious way to start a Boxing Day Test.

2nd over – Mohammed Siraj to Usman Khawaja

The first ball is a low-key Steve Harmison, but Rishabh Pant gets across to it.

Beaten! Khawaja twists himself into knots trying to edge a ball that cuts across him.

Both bowlers so far are bowling hand grenades in their first overs. They’ll want to break through early, because it’s only going to get harder as the temperatures rise today.

No bat on ball through the first two overs as Siraj sprays his final ball quite similarly to his first.

1st over – Jasprit Bumrah to Sam Konstas

HE LEAVES! A bit of out-swing from Bumrah on a wide line and Konstas lets out some nervous energy with a big leave and a call of “NO”.

Beaten on the outside edge second ball. Enormous movement off the seam and rips past the edge of Konstas vertical bat.

Another leave, and another outie past the outside edge. Bumrah is on one here, fired up for the occasion and having a fresh bit of prey to hunt.

Crikey. Another incredible delivery seaming away from Konstas, who is nowhere near it.

And the last ball beats the outside edge too. Konstas makes it through his first over of Test bowling from one of the world’s best, albeit only just.

Sam Konstas sprints out the middle

The exuberance of youth carries the 19-year-old to the middle ahead of 38-year-old Usman Khawaja, laconically strolling behind some 100 metres behind him.

Sam Konstas runs out ahead of Usman Khawaja.
(Getty)

And Konstas is taking the first ball from Jasprit Bumrah.

The teams are on the field for the Welcome to Country and anthems

The sold-out MCG crowd cheers as both teams appear out of the dugout and line up for Aunty Joy’s Welcome to Country.

And it’s followed by the anthems of India and Australia.

Sam Konstas belts out the anthem with a smile on his face. Young fella is on one here.

Big changes for India and Australia

So, we know Scott Boland is in for the injured Josh Hazlewood and Sam Konstas makes his debut for the unlucky Nathan McSweeney.

But India has also made a controversial call, dropping 25-year-old star Shubman Gill, who only returned for the second Test after a thumb injury, for all-rounder Washington Sundar.

India cricket captain Rohit Sharma walks on the field in a blazer.
(Getty)

So captain Rohit Sharma has been elevated back to the top order and India has three all-rounders in Washington, Ravindra Jadeja and Nitish Kumar Reddy.

Rohit and Gill both missed the first Test, and neither has made much of an impact since returning in Adelaide.

Gill has scores of 31, 28 and 1. Rohit has scored 3, 6 and 10 at number six.

Australia wins the toss and will bat

Pat Cummins has done himself and his fellow bowlers a solid by winning the toss and batting first on this stinking hot day at the MCG.

It also means we’re going to get an immediate look at 19-year-old opener and debutant Sam Konstas on the biggest stage.

Australia batter Sam Konstas wears his Baggy Green.
(Getty)

Can’t wait.

Melbourne is stinking hot today

The forecast for a 39-degree day in Melbourne.
(BOM)

A lot has been said about the weather in Melbourne, and the Bureau of Meteorology is saying we’re going to hit 39 degrees today.

Could be taxing in the field.

Hello and welcome to the Boxing Day Test!

Good morning, folks. Merry Christmas to all who celebrate, and happy Boxing Day Test to all.

The mercury is rising in Melbourne and so is anticipation for the debut of 19-year-old opener Sam Konstas, who received his Baggy Green from Mark Taylor ahead of his debut this morning.

Sam Konstas plays a shot.
(Getty)

I’m Jon Healy and I’ll be joined by Chris De Silva on today’s blog, as the MCG plays host to one of the highlights on the Australian sporting calendar.