“It’s a boxing match!”: Tempers flare between Bumrah and Labuschagne

Test cricket brought its fiery side to the fore on Day 1 of the second Test between India and Australia as Jasprit Bumrah and Marnus Labuschagne engaged in an intense, animated exchange. Under the Adelaide lights, Bumrah, leading India’s attack with precision, tried to unsettle Labuschagne with probing deliveries and a few fiery stares. Labuschagne, however, stood his ground, turning the tension into entertainment for the crowd.

The incident unfolded in the 13th over when Labuschagne, yet to score, faced relentless pressure from Bumrah and the Indian slip cordon, led by Virat Kohli. After defending a ball with a straight bat, Labuschagne locked eyes with Bumrah and muttered a few words, almost inviting the pacer to escalate the contest. The heated moment drew smiles from Kohli and Rishabh Pant, while Bumrah also appeared to enjoy the banter.

Bumrah responded with a peach of a delivery in the next ball, beating Labuschagne’s defense. In a lighthearted moment, he charged towards the batter, only to be greeted by Labuschagne’s wide grin and playful head shake, easing any tension. Commentators Adam Gilchrist and Kerry O’Keefe aptly described the atmosphere, calling it “a boxing match” and “fierce Test cricket.”

Despite Bumrah’s efforts, Labuschagne, in partnership with Nathan McSweeney, steadied Australia’s innings after the early loss of Usman Khawaja. The pair added 62 unbeaten runs, reducing India’s lead to 94 as Australia ended the day at 86/1. Earlier, India were bundled out for 180, with captain Rohit Sharma’s decision to bat first backfiring against Mitchell Starc’s devastating spell.

Starc claimed career-best pink-ball figures of 6/48, dismissing Yashasvi Jaiswal on the first ball of the match and triggering a middle-order collapse. KL Rahul and Shubman Gill provided some stability with a 69-run partnership, but a flurry of wickets left India reeling. Nitish Reddy’s counterattacking 42 off 54 balls and Ravichandran Ashwin’s 22-run cameo gave India a modest total to defend.

Bumrah was India’s standout bowler, dismissing Khawaja and keeping the Australian batters on their toes. However, with Mohammed Siraj and debutant Harshit Rana struggling for consistency, the pressure on Bumrah to deliver has significantly increased in this match.