Winning the toss and opting to bat first did not benefit the Indian batters as Mitchell Starc’s six-wicket haul tore through their lineup in just two sessions. Thanks to Nitish Reddy’s 42 and a 69-run second-wicket partnership, the visitors managed to reach 180 runs in their first innings.
With hopes of replicating Starc’s success with the pink ball, Jasprit Bumrah was lethal with the new ball, targeting the Australian top order.
After Usman Khawaja’s dismissal, Marnus Labuschagne came in as his substitute, and what followed was an unexpected and dramatic exchange between the batter and the bowler.
On the third ball of the 13th over, Bumrah bowled a short ball to Labuschagne, who fended it off with his bottom hand, taking a blow to the gloves. As the ball rebounded towards Bumrah, he playfully aimed a throw back at the batter.
In response, Labuschagne stood his ground, locked eyes with Bumrah, and confidently mouthed, “Come on, Bumrah.” Bumrah smiled back before delivering a short-of-a-length delivery outside the off-stump, which Labuschagne missed on the outside edge.
Bumrah vs Marnus.
— Hassan (@Gotoxytop2) December 6, 2024
Cinema. pic.twitter.com/sR9jtoMrpA
Bumrah then ran towards him with a grin, and Labuschagne acknowledged with a nod. The playful exchange quickly caught the attention of fans, sparking a frenzy on social media.