India Golden arm Jasprit Bumah Dismisses Travis Head for Duck and Continued to be Among Wickets on Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test Versus Australia on Thursday

India's in-form pacer Jasprit Bumrah continued to be among wickets on Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test versus Australia, on Thursday (Dec 26).

After Rohit Sharma-led visitors opted to bowl first, Australia's debutant Sam Konstas took his side to a positive start with an impressive 65-ball 60.

While Marnus Labuschagne and Marnus Labuschagne's fifties took the side ahead, they were 237-2 before being reduced to 246-5 courtesy of Bumrah's quick breakthroughs.

Bumrah got rid of in-form Head for a seven-ball duck to light up the MCG crowd.

Head has been in roaring form in the ongoing five-match Test series between India and Australia.

He has scored two centuries and a fifty under his belt.

He has been India's Achilles' heel, however, Bumrah removed him with a peach off a delivery to stage India's comeback.

Post his dismissal, Australia have been going strongly in the middle.

Steve Smith has stormed past the 50-run mark whereas wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey was looking good before departing for 31.

At the time of publishing this report, the hosts are 299-6 and will look to end the opening day of the Boxing Day Test match without losing any further wicket.

The five-match series, i.e. the 2024/25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, is currently tied at 1-1.

India won the series opener, in Perth, before Australia thrashed them in the day-night Test in Adelaide whereas the Brisbane Test ended in a draw.

Australia, meanwhile, will be buoyed by the success of Travis Head, who has been in exceptional form this series, amassing 140 and 152 in the last two Tests.

Head is likely to be the focal point for the Indian bowlers, and with his attacking style, he could wreak havoc if not kept in check early.

His fitness was confirmed after an extended session on Wednesday, and he will be key to Australia's strategy at the MCG.

The Indian bowlers must come up with a plan to contain him, especially since Head has shown he can handle aggressive bowling in challenging conditions.

Australia’s attack, led by Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, will test India’s resolve, but India’s bowlers, particularly Bumrah, will be ready for the challenge.

If India can break through the top order early, they will put pressure on a middle order that, while capable, can sometimes falter under pressure.

Jasprit Bumrah struck with a rather innocuous delivery that helped him dismiss Usman Khawaja for the fifth time in the series.

That was the only wicket India got in the session though, with Khawaja, Labuschagne and later Smith grinding it out and getting Australia to a score of 176/2 at Tea.