“Melbourne Boxing Day Test: Australian Batsmen Recreate History Against India”

Melbourne Boxing Day Test: Australia vs India

Cricket fans were treated to a spectacular batting display during the Melbourne Boxing Day Test, as Australia’s batsmen rewrote history on the first day of the fourth Test in the Border Gavaskar Trophy series against India. The home team’s top four batsmen—Sam Constance, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, and Steve Smith—each scored half-centuries, marking a remarkable feat that hasn’t been achieved in nearly a decade.

This milestone harkens back to the 2015 Sydney Test, where Australia’s top six batsmen also scored 50-plus runs in a single innings against India. Interestingly, both instances of this rare accomplishment were against the Indian team, showcasing a unique parallel in cricketing history.

Performance Highlights:

• Sam Constance: Making his Test debut, Constance impressed with a composed 60-run innings, featuring six fours and two sixes. He was eventually dismissed by Ravindra Jadeja.
• Usman Khawaja: Khawaja added a steady 57 off 121 balls, hitting six boundaries.
• Marnus Labuschagne: Continuing his stellar form, Labuschagne notched up 72 runs, his second half-century in the series, before being dismissed by Washington Sundar.
• Steve Smith: The veteran batsman contributed yet another 50-plus score in this series, further solidifying his position as one of Australia’s most dependable players.

Historical Parallel:

The last time Australian batsmen achieved this feat was during the 2015 Sydney Test against India, a match etched in cricketing memory for its batting brilliance and MS Dhoni’s retirement announcement during the series. In that match:

• Chris Rogers scored 95
• David Warner hit 101
• Shane Watson added 81
• Steve Smith contributed 117
• Shaun Marsh scored 73
• Joe Burns made 58

Steve Smith, who was named Player of the Match in that 2015 Test, has once again demonstrated his class in the ongoing series, underscoring his consistent performance in high-pressure matches.

What Lies Ahead?

Australia’s impressive start in this Test raises expectations for a dominant performance, potentially paving the way for a series-defining victory. Fans are eagerly awaiting the next innings to see if India can counter this historic batting onslaught.