SL v AUS, 1st Test Day 4 LIVE Score Updates© AFP

Australia had Sri Lanka three down after opener Usman Khawaja‘s first double century and a ton on debut by Josh Inglis helped the tourists to 654-6 declared in the first match on Thursday. Sri Lanka were 44-3 by stumps on day two at Galle with senior batsmen Dinesh Chandimal, on nine, and Kamindu Mendis, on 13, on guard until rain stopped play. Left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann struck first to have Oshada Fernando lbw and soon pace spearhead Mitchell Starc got Dimuth Karunaratne caught at gully. Both batsmen made seven.

Veteran spinner Nathan Lyon then sent back former skipper Angelo Mathews out for eight with Travis Head taking a diving catch at short leg.

Khawaja’s 266-run third-wicket partnership with Steve Smith, who hit 141 in a landmark innings that got the stand-in skipper to 10,000 Test runs, stood out after Australia elected to bat first at the start of the two-match series.

It was the first time the tourists had breached the 600-run mark in Sri Lanka, surpassing their previous Asian high of 617, posted in Pakistan in 1980.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Alex Carey was unbeaten on 46 with Mitchell Starc on 19 when Smith declared the first innings in the final session.

Inglis made it count when he walked in after Smith departed on 141 in a landmark innings that got the stand-in skipper to 10,000 Test runs.

He made 102 and with Khawaja kept up the batting surge in a 146-run stand to tire out the opposition attack.

Spinner Prabath Jayasuriya broke the partnership to get Khawaja caught behind as the opener walked back after 352 balls that included 16 fours and one six.

Inglis reached his ton off 90 balls as he jumped in delight and punched the air.

But he got out in the next over as he gave away a catch to short cover off Jayasuriya.

Jayasuriya and fellow spinner Jeffrey Vandersay took three wickets each as Sri Lanka toiled for 154 overs.

The tourists resumed on 330-2 as overnight batsmen Khawaja and Smith frustrated the opposition attack on a sunny morning.

Khawaja took a single off Jayasuriya to reach 200 as he removed his helmet, raised his bat and dropped down to kiss the turf while teammates and fans stood up to applaud.

His previous best was an unbeaten 195 against South Africa in 2023 at Sydney and he is now the first Australian batsman to make a double ton in Sri Lanka.

Australian opener Usman Khawaja silenced his critics in emphatic fashion, registering a superb century on a turning track in Galle during the first Test against Sri Lanka on Wednesday. His 16th Test hundred, achieved in the second session of the day, ended a 19-month-long drought for a triple-figure score and reinforced his place in Australia’s red-ball setup. Khawaja, known for his composed batting and mental resilience, opened up about how he navigates rough patches in his career. Speaking after the day’s play, he emphasised the importance of faith, family, and striking a balance beyond cricket.

“That’s really special. A hundred—everything comes from the Almighty. I truly believe that. Whether good or bad, you take it in the same stride. Whatever is meant to be, I always believe it’s for the best, even if you can’t see it now,” Khawaja told Sen Cricket.

“There have been so many ups and downs in my life where I’ve thought, ‘Oh, how bad is this?’ But something amazing has always come from it. So, I don’t let cricket dictate my life. I have a beautiful family and a supportive wife. There’s a lot more to life than just cricket, but I still love playing, so I’ll always try my best. I’ll always train hard behind the scenes. But, you know, the big man up there has control over everything, so at some level, I kind of let go of it too.”

While celebrating his own success, Khawaja also heaped praise on his teammate Steve Smith, who had a landmark day in Galle as. Smith first reached the 10,000-run milestone in Test cricket and then went on to score his 35th Test hundred, reinforcing his status as one of the greatest batters of his era.

Khawaja, who has played alongside Smith for over a decade, spoke fondly about their journey together.

“That’s special. I’ve known Smudge since he was 16. I played first grade against him, and we grew up playing for New South Wales. We’ve played for Australia for a long time. You know, I’ve batted with him more than anyone in Test cricket. We have really good camaraderie. It’s funny—we started off as boys, and now we’re men. It was just really special. I really wanted to be out there for his 10,000th run. I thought I was going to do it in Sydney, but I missed out, so I was glad I was out there today. Yeah, it’s really special. I’m very happy for him,” he added.

With both Smith and Khawaja in top form, Australia has positioned itself strongly in the Galle Test. The duo will look to extend their dominance as they resume batting on Day 2.

“And it’s not over yet—you’ll still see Steve and me batting tomorrow, so we look forward to it. I think it’s only going to get better,” Khawaja added with a smile.

–IANS

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Jasprit Bumrah and Sam Konstas altercation in Sydney© AFP

Australia opener Usman Khawaja said India’s fast-bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is the toughest bowler he’s ever faced in his cricketing career, adding in jest that he was just getting ‘Bumrah’d’ in the entire Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. Bumrah took 32 wickets in five matches at an average of 13.06 and a strike rate 28.37 to clinch Player of the Series award, though it wasn’t enough in India avoiding a 3-1 series defeat. He also talked about the experience of batting alongside young Sam Konstas.

“I was just getting Bumrah’d. It’s a shame he was (injured) but thank god for us. Today would’ve been an absolute nightmare facing him on that wicket. As soon as we didn’t see him out there we thought ‘alright, we’ve got a chance here’. He’s the toughest bowler I’ve ever faced,” said Khawaja on ABC Sport after the series ended in a six-wicket win for Australia at Sydney.

“I’ve never met anyone so arrogant but so endearing at the same time. He’s a very lovable character. He’s got this sense of being arrogant but saying it with a smile on his face.”

Bumrah not bowling on day three’s play due to a back spasm came as a relief for Australia, a view seconded by left-handed batter Travis Head in a chat with broadcasters. “I think there were 15 people really pleased that Bumrah didn’t bowl today. He’s a great performer, he had an exceptional tour.”

Head, who made 34 not out and restored calm in Australia’s successful run chase of 162, talked about how his 46-run stand with Khawaja for the fourth wicket got him the feeling that they would reach home with ease.

“Nice to contribute, I don’t worry about the results too much. Two great teams, felt like it would be nice if I could come out and contribute. Same approach as always, felt like I was moving well, knew that if I could build a partnership with Usman we would be well placed.

“The last series here they played exceptionally well, even in Perth they put us on the backfoot. Been a crazy five Tests, the guys that got through all five are probably looking forward to some time off. There’s been a lot of media attention too.

“Nitish too, I already knew how good he was. They have a lot of players that play well. We played extremely well too and stepped it up. I’m wrecked, I don’t know what I’m going to do for the next 10 days. I’ll look after myself and get prepared for Sri Lanka,” he said.

All-rounder Beau Webster, who had a memorable Test debut with scores of 57 and 39 not out, apart from taking a wicket and grabbing two sharp catches in Sydney, said the fast-moving Test was one memorable game for the hosts’.

“It’s been a hell of a game, couldn’t have asked for much more. Great crowd, great atmosphere. I was counting down the runs, was pretty confident the whole chase. When it was down to four, I was going to try and flog it, it came off else I was going to leave it to Head.

“Nice couple of weeks to be around the lads. To get a chance in the last one was a bit unexpected but it was great. Hell of a crowd, whole series has been well supported. Great support from everyone back home, been a hectic few days, thanks to everyone,” said Webster.

Left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc said to ABC Sport he’s pretty sore after struggling with a back injury, and said he would take six days off before resuming to prepare for the tour of Sri Lanka, happening later this month.

Starc is also scheduled to commentate on Women’s Ashes games, starting on January 12, where his wife Alyssa Healy will be captaining Australia. “It’s taken a little bit of a toll. It’s why we play Test cricket, push the needle as far as it’ll go. I tried to take the handbrake off the other day and might have pushed it a little too far.”

Former Australian captain Michael Clarke said that the final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia could be a “great opportunity” for veteran opener Usman Khawaja to announce his retirement at his home venue. With the series 2-1 in favour of the Aussies, the hosts will be heading for the New Year’s Test at Sydney to secure the series and win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time since 2014. Khawaja, who has been delivering great returns as a Test opener since his recall in 2022, has not been at his best this year.

After averaging 67.50 and 52.60 during the last two calendar years, Usman is averaging just 25.93 in nine Tests, having made just 415 runs in 18 innings, with two half-centuries and best score of 75. In four Tests during the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, he has scored just 141 runs in eight innings at an average of 20.14, with one half-century and best score of 57.

Speaking on the Beyond 23 Cricket Podcast, the former Aussie captain said, “This is Uzzie’s home Test match, the SCG. He has been an amazing player, absolutely amazing player. Come back in, score runs overseas, score runs in Australia. He is 38 years of age, I think it could be a great opportunity for Uzzie to announce his retirement, and Sydney to be his last Test.”

While Clarke said that he knows that Khawaja would like to keep playing, the Sri Lanka tour next year is a great chance for a new opener to come in and start his Test career.

“I know he would like to keep playing. His form has not been as good as he would like throughout this series. I know we have got a trip to Sri Lanka, and then we have got the Ashes. There is a lot of cricket in between, but I also think that could be a great opportunity for a new player to come in, open the batting, get some Test match cricket under their belt before the first Ashes Test match,” Clarke continued.

Since his comeback to the side in 2022, Khawaja has scored 2,705 runs in 33 Tests and 62 innings, averaging 49.18, with seven centuries and 13 fifties and best score of 195*.

Lavishing praise on young Sam Konstas, former opener David Warner has urged Australia’s senior players to adopt a similar aggressive approach when facing Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who has been a dominant force with the ball in the ongoing series. The 19-year-old Konstas played some stunning scoops and laps off Bumrah en route to a 65-ball 60 on his Test debut during the fourth Test at Melbourne, which the Aussies won by 184 runs on Monday. “It was very special. People are going to criticise him as well. That’s the nature of the beast, that’s the way he is going to play,” Warner told AAP.

“When someone like Bumrah is bowling to you, you have to try and execute somehow. They put a third-man in and fine leg to him and bowled him through the gate (in the second innings).

“He will look back on that and go ‘what a great experience in the Boxing Day Test’. He now gets to come here for New Year’s Test.” Konstas had scored 107 off 97 balls against India for the Prime Minister’s XI. He had also scored an unbeaten 73 at the MCG against India A, besides making two centuries in the Sheffield Shield and a record-breaking 50 on debut for the Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League.

“What he did in the Prime Minister’s XI shows he has that talent. But it also shows he is brave.” “Him being brave at the top of the order, you’ve got guys who have played 50 Tests, they could have been brave as well, they could have played different shots, they could have moved out of their crease and batted different.” Warner added that while players like Steve Smith had experimented with various approaches, it shouldn’t take a newcomer’s boldness to shift the momentum.

“Smudge (Steve Smith) tried a million different things. But it shouldn’t take someone to come out there and be brave to get that momentum shifting. You have experience at the top of the order, experience in that whole line up,” Warner said.

“Travis Head took the game away from them in Adelaide with that magnificent hundred. It shouldn’t take that guy just to come and do that. It’s the way the Australians played but other people can be braver as well.”

Bumrah is a genius

Bumrah on Sunday became the second fastest Indian along with Ravindra Jadeja to complete 200 Test wickets and the first bowler ever to reach that milestone with a sub-20 average during the fourth day’s play of the fourth Test.

The India speedstar has taken 30 wickets at an average of just 12.83 this series, including nine wickets in Melbourne.

“You’re also hoping Bumrah gets it off that handkerchief, he’s a genius. He is averaging under 20. His record is incredible,” Warner said.

“To put him off that is tough. You can’t just try and negate that. ‘Uzzy’ (Usman Khawaja) managed to face two balls in his first spell. That’s luck batters need as well.

“Fortunately for him, he got a half-century. Hopefully that builds momentum and gives him that positive energy to come into Sydney where he’s got a good record as well.” 

Several former players disapproved of Virat Kohli’s avoidable tiff with young Sam Konstas on Thursday while Australia opener Usman Khawaja said he stepped in to diffuse the tension because he did not want the situation to go out of hands. Khawaja was at the crease when the incident took place in the 10th over of the Australian innings on the opening day of the fourth Test in Melbourne. While crossing over, Kohli and Konstas bumped shoulders and quickly turned around to glance at each other, engaging in a heated exchange of words.

Khawaja immediately stepped in to separate them, putting his arm around Kohli. The on-field umpires also had a word with the two, as things cooled down rather quickly.

“I was walking the other way and just as I turned around, I saw them collide. I was like, ‘What’s going on here?’ Sammy was going, he was on fire, his beans were obviously going. I just came to diffuse the situation,” Khawaja told the ABC.

“I like the emotion. There was a bit of chirp going on between Sam and (Jasprit) Bumrah and Virat the whole time. But I didn’t want it to be tainted by any physical contact.

“I’ve known Virat a long time. We’ve been mates a long time. I was like (to Konstas), ‘Chill. I’ll talk to him. You chill, and I’ll sort this out’.” Former players Justin Langer, Michael Vaughan, and umpire Simon Taufel also felt Kohli was at fault.

“We don’t like seeing that in any cricket,” Langer, the former Australia coach, said during commentary for the Seven Network.

“There’ll be plenty said about this.” The incident happened after the 19-year-old Konstas had left India in a state of shock with his sensational stroke-play, taking down Bumrah, on his way to a 65-ball 60.

“Virat Kohli is such an experienced pro, being wound up by a 19 [year old],” Former England Ashes-winning captain Michael Vaughan told Fox Cricket.

“It’s Virat that walks into Sam.” Taufel, a five-time umpire of the year, too felt it was Kohli who got into Konstas’ line.

“It shows Virat Kohli actually changing his line to get into the personal space of Sam Konstas,” Taufel said while commenting on the Seven Network.

“My suggestion would be they’ll be looking at that seriously and likely do something about that now.” Kohli was later fined 20 percent of his match fee and awarded one demerit point for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct.

Australian skipper Ricky Ponting and former India coach Ravi Shastri also blamed Kohli for instigating the exchange.

Oz media feels Kohli got away lightly

Australian media seemed not too happy by ICC’s minor sanction on Kohli.

“Virat Kohli is free to play in the Sydney Test after avoiding a suspension for his physical altercation with Australia’s boy wonder Sam Konstas during a dramatic start to the Boxing Day Test,” wrote Sydney Morning Herald.

Foxsports’ headline read: “‘Completely acted wrong’: Kohli shock as star avoids ban for ‘ridiculous’ clash with Aussie teen.”

Australian cricket might have dominated ICC events, winning the most trophies, but Indian cricket is arguably considered the breadwinner for the sport. Over the last two decades, Indian cricket has grown leaps and bounds, challenging the Aussies and other top nations on every front. The Board of Control for Cricket In India (BCCI) has played a big role in Indian cricket’s rise. In the form of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the BCCI has also given the cricket world a top franchise-based T20 league. Hence, even when Australian cricketers were asked about their views on the India board, they only had good things to say.

In a video shared on social media, a few Australian cricketers were asked to define the BCCI, the ICC, and Indian cricket as a whole in one word each. Some epic responses were received.

Order of responses: BCCI, ICC, Indian cricket

Pat Cummins: Big, Big, Big

Travis Head: Rulers, second, strong

Usman Khawaja: Strong, ICC, Talented

Nathan Lyon: Big, Boss, Passionate

Glenn Maxwell: Powerful, Boss, Fanatic

Matthew Carey: Powerful, Trophy, Powerful

Steve Smith: Powerhouse, not as powerful (changes it to leaders)

Describe the BCCI, the ICC and Indian cricket in one word….

Don’t worry everyone, Smudge was just jokin! pic.twitter.com/AxJZJT15P8

— ABC SPORT (@abcsport) December 23, 2024

The likes of Head and Smith arguably gave the most intriguing responses. While Head didn’t budge on his verdict, Smith decided to change his response later, calling the first one ‘a joke’.

Indian and Australian teams are locked in a 5-match Test series at present, with the scores being 1-1 after the first three matches. While India won the opening Test in Perth, Australia bounced back to win the contest between the bat and the ball in Adelaide. The two teams are next set to square off in Melbourne, with the match starting on December 26.