Debutant Mohammed Siraj provided Team India with a massive breakthrough as he removed Marnus Labsuchagne to put his side on top in the ongoing Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Australia are reeling at 136 for five with skipper Tim Paine and Cameron Green as they made their way to the dressing room for a tea break.
Meanwhile, Indian bowlers responded well after asked to bowl first at MCG. Jasprit Bumrah and Umesh Yadav started off well, putting pressure on the Aussie openers before Bumrah removed Joe Burns for a duck. Sensing an opportunity, stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane brought in his senior spinner Ravichandran Ashwin as the first change bowler and he struck twice immediately.
After removing Matthew Wade with a thoughtful plan with Rishabh Pant, Ashwin made Steve Smith his bunny once again. The No.1 Test batsman went back for a duck and it is the first time Smith has got out on a duck against India. Since then, Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head showed resilience keeping the Indian bowlers at bay.
Mohammed Siraj gets his debut Test wicket
The wicket also seemed to ease out a bit which aided the batters while Mohammed Siraj and Umesh Yadav dished out full deliveries. But Jasprit Bumrah, who was brought back for his third spell once again managed to find Travis Head’s nick before Siraj picked his debut Test wicket. India used the perfect Smith trap to get his impersonator out.
It was an ordinary delivery from Mohammed Siraj who delivered full delivery angling into the pads and probably even going down leg. But Marnus Labuschagne flicked it and failed to keep it down. He found a slightly backward square leg close-in where Shubman Gill does really well to dive low in the front and get his palms underneath.
Mohammed Siraj was beaming with joy and it’s a big one in the context of where things stand in this game. Reeling at 136 for five at tea, Aussie skipper Tim Paine will once again have to do the rescue job to help his side post a decent first inning total.
Watch the video here:
A moment Mohammed Siraj will never forget – his first Test wicket! #OhWhatAFeeling @Toyota_Aus | #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/1jfPJuidL4
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 26, 2020
