Key events
120th over: Australia 466-9 (Lyon 6, Boland 5) Boland is into his 13th Test and has a highest score of 20, a typical nightwatchmanâs innings of nudge âem and bludgeon at Edgbaston last year. He survives another five balls from Jadeja. This 10th wicket partnership has now annoyed 11 runs onto the total.
119th over: Australia 464-9 (Lyon 5, Boland 5) Here comes the heat. Mohammed Siraj has been called back into the attack to ruffle some Australian feathers. As has become customary, the big Indian quick is greeted with pantomime jeers⦠which turn to cheers when Boland collides with Siraj during a hasty single. Siraj has 13 wickets for the series but starts his 22nd over with 0-115. Hang on⦠thereâs another shout for lbw. Umpire says OUT. Boland says âLetâs reviewâ. Replay say itâs bouncing over. The crowd roar, Siraj fumes.
118th over: Australia 464-9 (Lyon 4, Boland 5) Lyon drives Jadeja on the up for a single. The longer Australiaâs premier spinner can stay at the crease the better, with every run valuable but surveillance of a spinning pitch even more so. We have a shout for lbw against Boland by jadeja. Umpire says Yup, OUT! But a review by Boland wins out. Thereâs an inside edge. Frustration for India, elation for this MCG crowd.
117th over: Australia 461-9 (Lyon 3, Boland 3) Lyon pushes Deepâs first ball for a single and Boland then does the same, getting off the mark to roars from his home crowd. Will Australia come to rue those two quick, slightly rash wickets after lunch? The mere sight of 500 on the scoreboard wouldâve been a massive psychological blow to India. Now, for the umpteenth time this series, Australia has gifted some momentum to the visitors.
116th over: Australia 456-9 (Lyon 1, Boland 0) India have their mojo back. Suddenly a mad wizard batting his way to 200 and an enemy juggernaut threatening to go past 500 has been reined in. If they can dismiss either of these two, a newly-rested and well-fed India will have two sessions to bat on a pitch at its best. Tight over by Jadeja.
115th over: Australia 455-9 (Lyon 0, Boland 0) Lunch must have agreed with the Indians! After that wicket-maiden from Ravi Jadeja, Akash has been gifted a stroke of luck from the cricket gods, bowling Smith when he was about to be carted for six. Now cult hero Scott Boland is at the crease. Deep greets him with a couple of bouncers.
WICKET! Smith b Deep 140 (Australia 455-9)
Smith is bowled! Bizarre dismissal as he steps way outside leg to whack Deep over the infield. Instead he bottom edges and it trickles back â one bounce, two, three, four, five, almost in slow-motion â onto the stumps to gently dislodge a solitary bail. A weird way to end a wonderful innings. Smith, a tad sheepishly, walks off to a standing ovation.
WICKET! Starc b Jadeja 15 (Australia 455-8)
Starc is bowled third ball of the session! It floated, dropped, gripped and skidded through. Starc, a big-hitter, instead went for a prod and lost. India strike! And Jadeja has three wickets on a now dramatically spinning MCG wicket.
Hereâs a little lunchtime reading from Andy Bull⦠fizzing outrage, civilised discussion and friendly debate is welcome!
LUNCH: Australia 453 for 7 (Smith 139 not out, Starc 15 not out)
That was Australiaâs session by a long stretch. After the Sam Konstas chaos ball on day one, India had scraped back some parity in the latter sessions. But after a morning of glory for Australiaâs batters, it is the home side with a stranglehold on this fourth Test.
Steve Smith and Pat Cummins started day two at 311 and Australia has added 142 for the loss of only the skipper. Scarily for India, Smith, not out 139, is re-entering the realm of greatness he once inhabited, adding a second consecutive century to a career tally of 34 tons â 11 of them against India. He is currently filling his belly with lunch while stoking an insatiable appetite for more runs in the second session.
Rohit Sharmaâs men have looked rattled all morning, clumsy in the field and errant with the ball. Even Bumrah has looked human â walloped for a third and fourth six after not conceding a maximum in 25 Tests. He went wicketless as Australia accelerated.
With spin expected to play a major part later in this Test, day two was always going to offer the best batting conditions. Four wickets in a session was not beyond India today. Instead, they have been put to the sword and now face the prospect of batting late in the day after 100+ overs fielding in baking Melbourne heat.
Will Smith surge to 200? Can Starc lay on some fireworks? Or will India rally as they have all series? Grab a bite and wet your whistle. Weâll be back soon to find out.
113th over: Australia 454-7 (Smith 139, Starc 15) Although the level of spin has risen from 2.8 degrees on day one to 3.7 today it is fast bowler Bumrah who returns for a 28th over. Smith pushes a single down the ground. Starc swipes the fourth ball square to the rope but thereâs a man in position and only a single ensues. Smith takes another from the fifth. But after a run feast in the first session everyone is hungry for lunch
We go to the long break with Australia in control and India in trouble.
112th over: Australia 451-7 (Smith 137, Starc 14) As the smell of lunch wafts across the ground, Mr Smith eases Mr Washingtonâs first ball for two through midwicket then ambles a single through square leg. Washington is finding turn and bounce â a good sign for next man in Nathan Lyon when he gets a bowl â but so far itâs yielded only a solitary wicket for India on day two. A Starc hip clip brings up Australiaâs 450.
111th over: Australia 446-7 (Smith 134, Starc 12) It was always coming and there it is! Starc hits a SIX and itâs from no less than Jasprit Bumrah. That incredible record of no sixes hit from Bumrahâs bowling in 25 Tests across four seasons has been pulverised in this innings. Konstas took him for two inside an hour, Smith smashed a third this morning and Starc has whacked the second ball of Bumrahâs second spell today down the ground for a maximum.
110th over: Australia 440-7 (Smith 134, Starc 6) Washington Sundar returns to Starc who, with five from 15, canât be far from one of his customary tonks into the third dimension. He taps a single from the fifth to take this partnership to 29 from 34 balls.
109th over: Australia 439-7 (Smith 134, Starc 5) Amazing shot from Smith â a pitching wedge punch that runs for four despite the valiant dive of Nitish on the boundary. Smith holds the pose, times it perfectly. Smith is starting to look scary â feet moving in a demon dance, runs coming in a torrent, every shot more outlandish than the last.
108th over: Australia 432-7 (Smith 129, Starc 3) Ramp shot from Smith! He steps out, gets down on one knee and calmly scoops Jadeja over the cordon for a sublime four. Intrigued by the spin Ravi Jadeja is extracting, India have brought Washington Sundar into the attack. He bowled 12 overs yesterday for 1-37. Itâs now 1-43.
107th over: Australia 426-7 (Smith 124, Starc 2) Ravi Jadeja, who was left out of this side for the first two Tests, starts his 17th over with 2-59. Starc picks off a single leaving Smith to try and paddle one over his left shoulder. Jadejaâs grin disappears very quickly when Smith steps down and plays a slap shot Happy Gilmore would envy. FOUR!
106th over: Australia 420-7 (Smith 119, Starc 1) Smith picks off three from Sirajâs 21st over. Starc, who stands almost 200cm, salts the wound by ducking under a bouncer that also clears the wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant. Another five on the total for Australia, a little more steam from the ears of Siraj.
105th over: Australia 411-7 (Smith 116, Starc 0) Jadeja makes it a wicket maiden, getting prodigious spin and bounce to the new batter Mitchell Starc.
WICKET! Cummins c Nitish b Jadeja 49 (Australia 411-7)
Cummins holes out! He was one short of a half century and Jadeja threw up a juicy one the Australian skipper couldnât resist. It went hard but high as Cummins sliced it to deep cover. Nitish takes a good catch in the outfield, running hard and sliding to get hands to it. Great innings from the Australian captain â 49 runs from 63 balls.
104th over: Australia 411-6 (Smith 116, Cummins 48) King Kohli is getting plenty from the MCG crowd while fielding on the boundary. Yesterday, after his ugly run-in with Sam Konstas, they jeered him every time he went near the ball. Kohli responded in kind, blowing kisses and spitting gum at them. Heâs been docked 25% of his match fee for that little barney, not that itâll make a different to a man worth in excess of $130M.
Meanwhile, in a flash, Smith has calmly hooked Mohammed Siraj for SIX over fine leg and followed it with a slapshot FOUR through covers. Glorious batting!
103rd over: Australia 399-6 (Smith 106, Cummins 48) With runs flowing fast, India introduce spin. No boundaries from this over but Ravi Jadeja gets bounced for five singles as Australia take a breather. The Smith-Cummins partnership is now a century stand â 100 runs from 128 balls. It is quickly taking this Test away from India.
102nd over: Australia 394-6 (Smith 103, Cummins 46) Siraj, smarting from Smithâs century, delivers a wide on straight-up and gets crashed for FOUR by Cummins. A couple of singles exchanged, one a leg bye, before Cummins goes again⦠thatâs even better! Again itâs wide and full from Siraj and Cummins leans back and carves it to the boundary. Australia are flying on day two and India are looking very flustered.
Century to Steve Smith! (Australia 379-6)
There it is! A second consecutive Test ton for Steve Smith and the 34th of his career â no less than 11 of them against India! Nice way to draw level with the great Sunil Gavaskar as Nitish strayed outside off and Smith brought down the hammer with a flash through covers. That hundred came from 165 balls and signals a man back in form. He raises his bat to the Australian changeroom to say: âThanks⦠but thereâs plenty more where that came from.â
Photograph: James Ross/EPA
100th over: Australia 371-6 (Smith 96, Cummins 36) As India bowl their 100th over of the innings, we have a crowd figure of 62,000 in to watch Smith move calmly to 99 with a tuck to deep square and a tap to deep point. Here we goâ¦
As we pause for drinks ahead of the 100th over, thereâs time to revisit a Boxing Day innings that had more than a few shades of Sam Konstas in it: Kim Hughesâ sparkling century against the pomp of the West Indies fast bowling cartel in 1981â¦
99th over: Australia 371-6 (Smith 96, Cummins 36) Siraj cannons one into Smithâs pads on ball one and has a shout, appealing to the umpire for once. Sharma shakes his head at the big quick to say no, I wonât be frittering our final review on that. It sounded like an inside edge and replays prove it. Smith guides one past mid-on to move to 95. Cummins takes another from the fourth and Smith paddles a single from the fifth.
99th over: Australia 368-6 (Smith 94, Cummins 35) Double bowling change for India as Nitish Kumar Reddy replaces Jasprit Bumrah. Thatâs another win for the home side to have sent Mr Tick-Tick-Bumh back into his box without a breakthrough this morning. Reddy only got five overs yesterday and starts with 0-10 today. A Smudge nudge to square leg makes it 0-11 and Cummins adds another with a cut over the infield. Smithâs single from the last takes him within one shot of a 34th Test century.
98th over: Australia 365-6 (Smith 92, Cummins 34) Akash Deep has been sent to the deep to mull over his 15-run over. Instead itâs Indian firebrand Mohammed Siraj back into the attack. Heâs full on the first four, short on the fifth and Cummins leaves the last to make it a maiden.
97th over: Australia 365-6 (Smith 92, Cummins 34) This Smith-Cummins partnership has rocketed to 60, Australia have added 48 this morning and are charging to 400. And theyâre even closer now as Smith swivels and swats Bumrahâs fifth ball over the fine leg fence for a hooked SIX. That takes Smudge into the nineties.
96th over: Australia 359-6 (Smith 86, Cummins 34) Run drought over! Smith clips Deep for four from the first, tucking it off his hip with ease. Now another two as Smith guides it through backward point. Now Cummins is in on the action, stepping back to uppercut over slips for FOUR. Cop that Mr Konstas! And now some style from the skipper as Deep drops short and is driven off the back foot through covers. Fifteen from the over!
95th over: Australia 344-6 (Smith 79, Cummins 26) Cummins taps a single from Bumrah to get Smith into the action. Although heâs batting almost a metre out of his crease, Smith hasnât got on top of Bumrah yet. He takes a single to think it over, which leaves Cummins to cop another bouncer, this one whistling past his chin and causing Captain pat to Fosbury Flop out of its path.
94th over: Australia 342-6 (Smith 78, Cummins 25) Rowan Sweeney is back in touch asking whatâs par on this wicket? The way Ricky Ponting is talking on the box, rhapsodising of the grass and the absence of cracks and crumble, itâs 450. That means Australia need 100+ from their final four wickets. And the runs have suddenly dried up as Akash Deep delivers another maiden.
93rd over: Australia 342-6 (Smith 78, Cummins 25) Finally a bouncer! Bumrah revs it up to 138kph and Cummins is immediately made to look awkward. He flinches at the next one too, a little rattled. Indiaâs captain moves a leg gully into place to up the ante. Itâs another Bumrah maiden but that one had genuine menace.
92nd over: Australia 342-6 (Smith 78, Cummins 25) Again Cummins gets easy runs, this time two from a back-foot push that beats gully. He then takes a single off a no-ball to give Smith a chance. Sunil Gavaskar reckons India havenât bowled enough bouncers and heâs right: Australiaâs runs this morning have come too freely. Cummins proves that point in style, stepping forward to Deep and driving him handsomely to the rope.
91st over: Australia 332-6 (Smith 78, Cummins 17) Bumrah beats Smith on the first! That was a statement ball. It got the batter jumping and a drew a rueful grin from the bowler. Bumrahâs grin just gets wider as he beats Smith on the final three. A masterful maiden.
90th over: Australia 332-6 (Smith 78, Cummins 17) Cummins continues to take easy singles and gift the strike to Smith. The Australian captain has 100+ runs for the series at an average of almost 20. Smith has 200+ thanks to that 101 in the third Test and adds another four to that tally, stepping down and driving Deep through the covers. Great shot! This partnership has now added 33 runs.
89th over: Australia 324-6 (Smith 74, Cummins 16) Now the key battle of the morning: Steve Smith v Jasprit Bumrah. Indiaâs master quick yesterday added 3-75 to his 21 wickets for the series. Smith has taken guard two inches outside leg stump to allow his now-customary stride across the pegs. He watches the first four warily, then flinches at the last with a half-shot, edging along the ground and through slips for four.
88th over: Australia 320-6 (Smith 70, Cummins 15) Akash Deep will bowl the second over, probably to allow Bumrah to charge in from his preferred end. Deep went to stumps with 1-59 from his 19 wickets and he starts with a maiden today.
87th over: Australia 320-6 (Smith 70, Cummins 15) Great start for Australia. Smith taps an easy single to settle the nerves and Siraj strays on the second allowing Cummins pounces with a flash blade that drives it to the rope. Now Cummins works a legside ball off his hip and a misfield – the bane of Indiaâs fielding yetserday â allows three runs. Eight from the first half-over! A Smith single makes it nine from the full six
Steve Smith is walking to the crease 123 runs short of the magical 10,000 Test runs milestone. Of course the first two men to achieve that feat are the men whose names adorns the trophy up for grabs in this series: the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Smith has his captain Pat Cummins at the other end and Mohammed Siraj warming up with the ball in hand. Here we go, folksâ¦
Thankfully for Victorians under threat of bushfire, itâs a cooler day in Melbourne today â currently 18C and rising to 22C . We have cloud cover at the MCG and Ricky Ponting, having eyed off this pitch, predicting a perfect day for batting.
Will Steve Smith and Pat Cummins kick on this morning? Or will Indiaâs batters â minus Shubman Gill who has been controversially dropped in favour of playing a second spinner in Washington Sundar â get the best of it on day two?
Players are warming up on the ground and action will soon be under way.
Photograph: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images
The Konstas blitzkrieg drew an extraordinary response from his cricket hero Virat Kohli who veered across three lanes of traffic to put the shoulder into the youngster.
Although Kohli tried to claim it as the teenagerâs fault and Usman Khawaja played peacemaker, Kohli has been clipped 20% of his match fee â a small price to pay for an epic display of petulance. Konstas himself shrugged off the incident as âjust cricketââ¦
Watch the Konstas highlights package with this as your soundtrackâ¦
Hereâs how local media saw the Konstas Kaos at the MCGâ¦
For those who came in late, hereâs how Geoff Lemon bottled the lightning of day oneâ¦
Preamble
Angus Fontaine
Greetings cricket fans! Welcome to day two of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.
Day one was a lot. Blast furnace heat across Victoria had wildfires raging across the state and sparked a batting inferno at the MCG as a cool 19-year-old opening batter from Sydney made his Test debut on cricketâs biggest stage, scorching his name into history and giving Australia the edge on day one of this crucial fourth Test.
Sam Konstas, a brash teenager with just a handful of first-class games behind him, lit up the MCG with a display of batting pyrotechnics that had even the great Sunil Gavaskar proclaiming: âwe are witnessing the future of Test cricket.â
As Jack Snape captured yesterday, it was a triumph of the unorthodox. Ramp shots, reverse scoops, paddle slaps, murderous square cuts, slog sweeps. After playing and missing at five of his first six deliveries in Test cricket, Konstas went crazy as only callow youth can. It sparked a display of petulance from the King himself, as Virat Kohli initiated a midpitch spat after deliberately shoulder-charging the young Australian.
Slamminâ Samâs innings lasted scarcely an hour and 65 balls but produced 60 of the most scintillating runs ever seen by a debut batter. Even the great Jasprit Bumrah, Indiaâs weapon of mass destruction in this series, was battered out of the attack as Konstas bamboozled the Indian bowlers and gave Australia a crucial early ascendency.
Bumrah, who had not been hit for a six in 25 Tests across four years, was lifted into the grandstand twice inside an hour by Konstas. And yet, Bumrah returned later in the day to rip through Australiaâs middle-order with three key wickets and put India back into the contest with Australians going to stumps at 311 for 6.
Day two should be another ripper. Play starts at 10.30am AEST so batten âem down and buckle âem up because it is GAME ON in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.