That’s it from me, I can hear my ‘threenager’ rousing and so will dash off with India licking their wounds and Australia counting their runs and wickets. Thanks for your company, goodbye!

Here’s the report from Day Two at the MCG:

45th over: India 159-5 (Pant 5, Jadeja 0) Ravindra Jadeja joins Pant in the middle with India teetering. Close! A thick edge from a defensive prod lands just short of the cordon. Australia looking like they could pick up a wicket with every ball at the MCG.

44th over: India 156-4 (Deep 0, Pant 4) Mitch Starc is on for a burst before the close. He’ll be looking to find that toe breaking yorker.

43rd over: India 155-4 (Deep 0, Pant 1) Scott Boland has the ball on a string. India are reeling with twelve minutes left on the clock. All eyes on Rishabh Pant…

40th over: India 148-2 (Jaiswal 78, Kohli 35) Crikeystrewth! Jaiswal leans back and absolutely slams Mitch Marsh back over his head for SIX into the crowd. That was some shot. He’s a six-slotting machine this kid.

Next ball sees a loud appeal and a review from Australia as Marsh is convinced he’s pinned the youngster on the pad in front of all three. Umpire Joel Wilson looks tempted but keeps his digit of doom resolutely unfurled. Marsh had pinned Jaiswal in front of all three… the only problem being that the ball pitched outside the line of leg stump by a gnat’s eyebrow. Close call.

39th over: India 142-2 (Jaiswal 72, Kohli 35) Boland is getting a bit of nibble off the surface. He pins one back into Kohli’s pads that would’ve been a decent shout had Virat not trapped it with his bat first.

A beach ball drifts over from Bay 13. Gervase Greene pops up again with some Merv Hughes reverie.

“Your earlier reference to Sam Konstas channeling his inner Hughes to rev up the crowd reminded me of the late, very great cricket writer Martin Johnson. He once fondly reminisced in The Independent of Big Merv charging in with a packed and raucous Bay 13 behind him, ‘moving it both ways, and that was just his stomach.’ Brilliant.”

38th over: India 139-2 (Jaiswal 70, Kohli 34) Marsh continues after drinks and nearly picks up Jaiswal. The opener sees a full ball just outside off and aims to flay it through the covers but it wasn’t quite full enough, the edge skewing wide of gully and away for four.

37th over: India 134-2 (Jaiswal 65, Kohli 34) Kohli is starting to tick, Cummins tries a short ball and is swatted away with something approaching disdain to the square leg fence. Time for a drink.

36th over: India 130-2 (Jaiswal 65, Kohli 30) Marsh chugs in. Mountain range shoulders bobbing underneath his wavy mullet. He looks a bit stiff and is picked off for four singles.

35th over: India 126-2 (Jaiswal 63, Kohli 28) Cummins tries some short stuff, there’s nowt much happening through the air or off the pitch now. Two men out on the hook, both batters roll their wrists and swivel their hips to pull away for a single apiece. Mitch Marsh is being summoned for his first bowl of the match.

The partnership is growing and India look solid, they need to cash in. Nick Gibson seems to think the same.

“How on earth did New Zealand beat this team and win a series?”

Kane Williamson is on his way round to duff you up/politely put you straight about New Zealand’s recent Test record, Neil.

34th over: India 124-2 (Jaiswal 62, Kohli 27) Kohli gets his alpha-dog stride into Nathan Lyon, a single into the covers is repeated by Jaiswal a couple of balls later. Lyon gives Virat too much width and is carved away for three across the sun drenched Melbourne outfield. Have I mentioned it is foggy in Derbyshire? You could cut it with a spoon and I can hear your antipodean jealousy clanging from here.

33rd over: India 119-2 (Jaiswal 61, Kohli 23) Cummins goes short, waaaay too short, a bouncer flies over Carey and away for five wides. KOhli leaves a couple on a fifth stump line before flapping a little at another short ball that is much more awkward from Cummins, in at the arm-pit. The ball squirts into the leg side for a single. There’s an hour left in the day’s play, it’s a crucial one in the arc of this series.

32nd over: India 113-2 (Jaiswal 61, Kohli 22) Lyon goes over the wicket to Jaiswal, bowling stump to stump. The partnership between Jaiswal and Kohli heads into the sixties. They’ve consolidated well after the tea break. A couple of singles added to the India score. The deficit is still a lofty 361 runs.

31st over: India 111-2 (Jaiswal 60, Kohli 21) Scott Boland is off the field, not sure if it’s comfort or injury but will keep an eye on it. Pat Cummins returns to the attack as his side seek to make a breakthrough. He’s back of a length and angling in, Kohli hangs back and defends a maiden off the back foot.

30th over: India 111-2 (Jaiswal 60, Kohli 21) Jaiswal is ticking, he does have these periods of intense scoring and then he goes back to mid-tempo. Lyon is charged and deposited for four down the ground. An attempted lap slog is cue ended in the air to short mid-wicket but there is not fielder there to swallow the catch. Jaiswal blows out his cheeks, he doesn’t want to gift his wicket like that.

29th over: India 105-2 (Jaiswal 55, Kohli 22) Jaiswal goes to fifty! It’s a brilliant over from the youngster as he flays Starc for four wide of gully and then carves for three through point to notch the half ton. The opener saves the best til last though as Starc spears in the yorker but Jaiswal digs it out and times it away wide of mid on for four more. He’s got all the shots and is full of confidence. He also knows how to get a big score, India need him to go big in this knock.

28th over: India 91-2 (Jaiswal 43, Kohli 19) Lyon drops short and Jaiswal uses his crease to rock back and punch through the off side for four.

27th over: India 86-2 (Jaiswal 38, Kohli 19) Starc strays onto Kohli’s pads and is flicked away fine for four.

26th over: India 82-2 (Jaiswal 38, Kohli 15) Lyon twirls away with a slip and short leg in place. Jaiswal attempts a sweep but ends up getting clonked on the lid. The spinner starts with a maiden.

Sam Konstas is enjoying himself down in front of Bay 13, getting the crowd involved. Shades of Big Merv.

25th over: India 82-2 (Jaiswal 38, Kohli 15) Starc sends down five dots before blotting his copybook at the last by going too full and straight, Kohli pings him off the pads through midwicket for four.

Here comes Nathan Lyon for his first bowl of the Test.

24th over: India 78-2 (Jaiswal 38, Kohli 11) Boland beats Jaiswal on the outside edge, the batter taking a step or two down the wicket and the ball seaming past his attempted drive. Boland stitches together another maiden.

23rd over: India 78-2 (Jaiswal 38, Kohli 11) Starc replaces Cummins and oversteps with his first ball back. Kohli drives him through mid off to pick up two runs. India’s deficit is now below 400. Gulp.

22nd over: India 75-2 (Jaiswal 38, Kohli 9) Anything you can do… Boland is slightly too full to Jaiswal and the dead-eyed opener doesn’t miss out, a gun barrel on drive races to the fence and earns a mid pitch bum pat from his senior colleague.

21st over: India 71-2 (Jaiswal 34, Kohli 9) Be still my heart. Virat plays a cover drive off Cummins that is as pure as an Alpine snow drift. High elbow, foot to the pitch, classical angles. Swoontastic.

20th over: India 65-2 (Jaiswal 33, Kohli 4) Boland is snaking the ball about off the seam, Kohli is watchful and busy at the crease. He drops and runs a single to keep strike. Enthralling stuff with the series on the line.

19th over: India 64-2 (Jaiswal 33, Kohli 3) Pat Cummins steams in with three slips and a couple of gullys in place. Ooof! Kohli attempts a hook shot to a short ball and just about keeps in under control but only picks up a single down to fine leg. Risky shot for not a lot of reward. Jaiswal looks more comfortable against the Cummins short ball as he swats the final ball of the over away to the square leg boundary.

Gervase Green sends in an email entitled ‘Millinery Issues’

Afternoon James/all, I fully acknowledge that Cummins’ leg-cutter to KL Rahul was a belter, so fair play etc. BUT… walking off to tea amidst various backpats, the parlous state of Captain Planet’s ‘baggy green’ was cruelly apparent on TV for all to see. Not sure if he’s trying to emulate or out-do Steve Waugh, but it looked in worse repair than a sixth-day Chidambaram pitch in Chennai.
Should the OBO community organise a whip-around to fund the fix-up? It’ll be a big ask.”

Have you seen Ellyse Perry’s helmet? Only identifiable by its dental records, if that makes sense. No? Oh well.

18th over: India 59-2 (Jaiswal 29, Kohli 2) Boland to Kohli. The bowler had the wood over the batter in the Adelaide Test under lights and he starts well here. Five dot balls angled in at the stumps, test ing out the Virat defences. A drop and run off the final ball sees Kohli pick up a single and keep strike for the next.

17th over: India 58-2 (Jaiswal 29, Kohli 1) Cummins to Kohli. 80,000 people on the edge of their seat in Melbourne and one more here 10,000 miles away in Bakewell. Cummins doesn’t find the magic ball this time, Virat clips off his hip for a single to get off strike first ball. Shot! Jaiswal leans back and upper cuts with aplomb to pick up four over the corden. He may be the best in the world at that shot right now. Jaiswal punches through cover for a couple more to end the over.

The players emerge after the tea break. Kohli and Jaiswal amble out to the middle with a crackle of energy in the Melbourne air. Scott Boland starts the evening session with a maiden. India need to weather this tricky period and build some partnerships, if they have a disastrous session here then this Test match could be gone and they’ll be 2-1 down in the series with just one Test left. Quite a dramatic turnaround considering how well they came out of the blocks in the first Test.

16th over: India 51-2 (Jaiswal 22, Kohli 0)

Dear old Alfie Sparrow is full of festive good cheer but fears for Rohit Sharma.

“Morning James,

I’ve been watching since India started batting after a far too long nap earlier in the day post Christmas Day leftovers meaning I’ve woken up early, but no complaints as I get to watch the test match.

It’s sad to see what’s happening with Sharma. There needs to be a conversation on what they to do with him. Is it a Joe Root case where you need to relieve him of the captaincy for him to perform his best? Or is it more serious than that? Could you see him not captaining/starting for India in the first Test next June? He is 37, and he’ll be 38 by the time the series comes around.

Hope you and everyone reading has had a lovely Christmas, and wishing everyone a happy new year.”

For what it is worth, I reckon Rohit has a got a final flourish in him in Test cricket. Great players have a habit of coming up with the goods once they’ve started to be written off.

Kevin Tong is joining us, by hook or by crook, from Singapore:

“Hi James!

Kevin here from Singapore. Since you asked, I am tuning in! While at work, on my phone, using mobile data (because I can’t seem to connect to the WiFi at work), but it’s totally worth it!

Singapore is a great place to follow Test matches Down Under! The gift that greets me every morning when I wake up is the beautiful preamble on the OBO before play begins at 7.30am Singapore time, the same time I start work.”

Righto, time for me to make an early morning acquaintance with a certain Mr Douwe Egberts before scoping and scooping out some of your emails. I can already see there a few Rohit Sharma laments in there.

14th over: India 50-1 (Jaiswal 22, Rahul 24) Fifty up for India with a KL Rahul clip into the leg side. Ouch. The batter is then pinned on the glove by a ball that spits off a good length from Boland. A shake of the hand after it was trapped on the bat handle. We’ll have one more Cummins over to take us into the tea break.

13th over: India 48-1 (Jaiswal 22, Rahul 22) Cummins replaces Starc and hits his line just back of a length. A tidy maiden.

12th over: India 48-1 (Jaiswal 22, Rahul 22) Jaiswal advances to Boland and slots him through cover for three runs. The bowler is targeting the front pad but KL Rahul doesn’t miss and whips for three more through the leg side. Jaiswal tucks a single off the last to make it seven runs from the over. India ticking over nicely as the tea break approaches.

11th over: India 41-1 (Jaiswal 18, Rahul 19) Shot! KL Rahul plays a languid cover drive off Starc that skims to the boundary like a pebble across an ice rink. A freshly shorn Starc grimaces and lomps back to his mark. Two more runs are collected off the over as an inside edge squirts into the leg side.

Let us know if you are tuning in, your thoughts on the game or a decent turkey curry recipe are all welcome.

10th over: India 35-1 (Jaiswal 18, Rahul 13) Boland does what Boland does in front of his home crowd, stitches together a tidy maiden on a nagging line. Around the wicket and angling in, he manages to get one to nip at the last that passes Jaiswal’s edge but without the terminal kiss. Areas Scott.

9th over: India 35-1 (Jaiswal 18, Rahul 13) I love watching Jaiswal bat, the baby faced assassin. He was a unanimous pick for the Guardian Cricket writers selection committee for the Test team of 2024. A few of the other positions were a bit more contentious.

Starc tests out the middle of the pitch but the Indian opener is unperturbed. He sways and watches, hangs back and angles into the off side to collect a single. A loud cheer goes up around the stadium as Scott Boland is coming on for a bowl.

8th over: India 34-1 (Jaiswal 17, Rahul 13) Thanks Angus and hello all from a very foggy English Peak District. As I sidle into the OBO armchair the MCG lets out a collective deep purr as Jaiswal plays a beauty of an on-drive and KL Rahul matches him with the same but through the off. Cummins guilty of being too full and is punished in some style.

7th over: India 25-1 (Jaiswal 12, Rahul 9) Rahul takes two from Starc’s first ball. The big quick from Penrith responds by scything one past a flailing bat. And again. And again. A greying Starc looks a little weary and I know how he feels. Time for the fresh legs and flashing fingers of James Wallace. Adieu!

6th over: India 23-1 (Jaiswal 12, Rahul 7) Jaiswal and Rahul are reunited. Can they replicate their wonderful 201-run stand in Perth. That helps! A slashing drive by Rahul sends Cummins’ first ball to the rope. Sumptuous stroke by KL to get off his duck. Captain Pat has his pace up to 141kph already. But he’s too full on the fourth and again Rahul leans in and drives with an open bat for three runs.

5th over: India 16-1 (Jaiswal 12, Rahul 0) Impressive movement for Starc as a scramble seam delivery rattles the speed gun at 144kph and beats the outside edge of Jaiswal’s flashing blade. Finally, after four dots and some risky fishing, the kid gets two to cover.

4th over: India 14-1 (Jaiswal 10, Rahul 0) India are one wicket down trailing by 465. Pat Cummins is bearing down on Jaiswal with fresh blood on his perfect smile. But the insolence of youth doesn’t care. Like Konstas, Jaiswal is brimming with teen spirit. He crouches then rises like a jack-in-the-box to lift a bouncer over the slips for FOUR. Takes a single from the next to revel in the shot. Rahul doesn’t look as confident just yet. He survives a shout on the last – it’s straight but not enough for Cummins to review.

3rd over: India 9-1 (Jaiswal 5, Rahul 0) Jaiswal scampers a single from Starc. Good move young man. That exposes new batter KL Rahul. He watches four wide ones come and go before stabbing at the last and getting an inside edge that bounces perilously close to the stumps.

2nd over: India 8-0 (Jaiswal 4, Sharma 3) Pat Cummins cometh. He has young Jaiswal on strike. The youngster has been tamed since that wonderful innings of 161 in the first Test in Perth led India to a 1-0 lead. The kid takes a quick single to cover and lets his senior partner Sharma slap a full ball down the ground for three. Nice save by Sam Konstas on the rope.

1st over: India 3-0 (Jaiswal 2, Sharma 0) Here we go… Starc to Jaiswal. And Jaiswal gets off the mark with a shot that is very nearly a run-out. That was close! Starc got a finger to the return drive that narrowly misses the stumps at the bowler’s end. It befuddled everyone, and after a bit of yes-no-maybe from the batters they ran. Starc finds late swing with the next ball and Rohit Sharma’s swish draws an OOOOH from the MCG mob. He runs on a leg bye to get away from danger. Good move, skipper!

123rd over: Australia 472-9 (Lyon 11, Boland 6) Enough of this madness, says India’s captain. He brings back Jasprit Bumrah for a 29th over. Lyon takes two but is then trapped in front. It looks bang in front and Lyon starts walking off but realises he has a review up his sleeve so reviews. India are walking off the field… but replays save their blushes. It’s just clipping the off bail.

122nd over: Australia 472-9 (Lyon 11, Boland 6) Jadeja whips down another rapidfire six deliveries but Scott Boland’s blade is getting broader by the second. He sees out a maiden.

121st over: Australia 472-9 (Lyon 11, Boland 6) Lyon takes a single to deep square leg from Siraj’s second ball. Boland, who has successfully overturned two decisions already blocks the next couple before steering a lifting delivery to fine leg for a run. And Lyon finishes the over with a flourish driving through mid-on for FOUR. Noice Gary!

120th over: Australia 466-9 (Lyon 6, Boland 5) Boland is into his 13th Test and has a highest score of 20, a typical nightwatchman’s innings of nudge ‘em and bludgeon at Edgbaston last year. He survives another five balls from Jadeja. This 10th wicket partnership has now annoyed 11 runs onto the total.

119th over: Australia 464-9 (Lyon 5, Boland 5) Here comes the heat. Mohammed Siraj has been called back into the attack to ruffle some Australian feathers. As has become customary, the big Indian quick is greeted with pantomime jeers… which turn to cheers when Boland collides with Siraj during a hasty single. Siraj has 13 wickets for the series but starts his 22nd over with 0-115. Hang on… there’s another shout for lbw. Umpire says OUT. Boland says ‘Let’s review’. Replay say it’s bouncing over. The crowd roar, Siraj fumes.

118th over: Australia 464-9 (Lyon 4, Boland 5) Lyon drives Jadeja on the up for a single. The longer Australia’s premier spinner can stay at the crease the better, with every run valuable but surveillance of a spinning pitch even more so. We have a shout for lbw against Boland by jadeja. Umpire says Yup, OUT! But a review by Boland wins out. There’s an inside edge. Frustration for India, elation for this MCG crowd.

117th over: Australia 461-9 (Lyon 3, Boland 3) Lyon pushes Deep’s first ball for a single and Boland then does the same, getting off the mark to roars from his home crowd. Will Australia come to rue those two quick, slightly rash wickets after lunch? The mere sight of 500 on the scoreboard would’ve been a massive psychological blow to India. Now, for the umpteenth time this series, Australia has gifted some momentum to the visitors.

116th over: Australia 456-9 (Lyon 1, Boland 0) India have their mojo back. Suddenly a mad wizard batting his way to 200 and an enemy juggernaut threatening to go past 500 has been reined in. If they can dismiss either of these two, a newly-rested and well-fed India will have two sessions to bat on a pitch at its best. Tight over by Jadeja.

115th over: Australia 455-9 (Lyon 0, Boland 0) Lunch must have agreed with the Indians! After that wicket-maiden from Ravi Jadeja, Akash has been gifted a stroke of luck from the cricket gods, bowling Smith when he was about to be carted for six. Now cult hero Scott Boland is at the crease. Deep greets him with a couple of bouncers.

Here’s a little lunchtime reading from Andy Bull… fizzing outrage, civilised discussion and friendly debate is welcome!

113th over: Australia 454-7 (Smith 139, Starc 15) Although the level of spin has risen from 2.8 degrees on day one to 3.7 today it is fast bowler Bumrah who returns for a 28th over. Smith pushes a single down the ground. Starc swipes the fourth ball square to the rope but there’s a man in position and only a single ensues. Smith takes another from the fifth. But after a run feast in the first session everyone is hungry for lunch

We go to the long break with Australia in control and India in trouble.

112th over: Australia 451-7 (Smith 137, Starc 14) As the smell of lunch wafts across the ground, Mr Smith eases Mr Washington’s first ball for two through midwicket then ambles a single through square leg. Washington is finding turn and bounce – a good sign for next man in Nathan Lyon when he gets a bowl – but so far it’s yielded only a solitary wicket for India on day two. A Starc hip clip brings up Australia’s 450.

111th over: Australia 446-7 (Smith 134, Starc 12) It was always coming and there it is! Starc hits a SIX and it’s from no less than Jasprit Bumrah. That incredible record of no sixes hit from Bumrah’s bowling in 25 Tests across four seasons has been pulverised in this innings. Konstas took him for two inside an hour, Smith smashed a third this morning and Starc has whacked the second ball of Bumrah’s second spell today down the ground for a maximum.

110th over: Australia 440-7 (Smith 134, Starc 6) Washington Sundar returns to Starc who, with five from 15, can’t be far from one of his customary tonks into the third dimension. He taps a single from the fifth to take this partnership to 29 from 34 balls.

109th over: Australia 439-7 (Smith 134, Starc 5) Amazing shot from Smith – a pitching wedge punch that runs for four despite the valiant dive of Nitish on the boundary. Smith holds the pose, times it perfectly. Smith is starting to look scary – feet moving in a demon dance, runs coming in a torrent, every shot more outlandish than the last.

108th over: Australia 432-7 (Smith 129, Starc 3) Ramp shot from Smith! He steps out, gets down on one knee and calmly scoops Jadeja over the cordon for a sublime four. Intrigued by the spin Ravi Jadeja is extracting, India have brought Washington Sundar into the attack. He bowled 12 overs yesterday for 1-37. It’s now 1-43.

107th over: Australia 426-7 (Smith 124, Starc 2) Ravi Jadeja, who was left out of this side for the first two Tests, starts his 17th over with 2-59. Starc picks off a single leaving Smith to try and paddle one over his left shoulder. Jadeja’s grin disappears very quickly when Smith steps down and plays a slap shot Happy Gilmore would envy. FOUR!

106th over: Australia 420-7 (Smith 119, Starc 1) Smith picks off three from Siraj’s 21st over. Starc, who stands almost 200cm, salts the wound by ducking under a bouncer that also clears the wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant. Another five on the total for Australia, a little more steam from the ears of Siraj.

105th over: Australia 411-7 (Smith 116, Starc 0) Jadeja makes it a wicket maiden, getting prodigious spin and bounce to the new batter Mitchell Starc.

104th over: Australia 411-6 (Smith 116, Cummins 48) King Kohli is getting plenty from the MCG crowd while fielding on the boundary. Yesterday, after his ugly run-in with Sam Konstas, they jeered him every time he went near the ball. Kohli responded in kind, blowing kisses and spitting gum at them. He’s been docked 25% of his match fee for that little barney, not that it’ll make a different to a man worth in excess of $130M.

Meanwhile, in a flash, Smith has calmly hooked Mohammed Siraj for SIX over fine leg and followed it with a slapshot FOUR through covers. Glorious batting!

103rd over: Australia 399-6 (Smith 106, Cummins 48) With runs flowing fast, India introduce spin. No boundaries from this over but Ravi Jadeja gets bounced for five singles as Australia take a breather. The Smith-Cummins partnership is now a century stand – 100 runs from 128 balls. It is quickly taking this Test away from India.

102nd over: Australia 394-6 (Smith 103, Cummins 46) Siraj, smarting from Smith’s century, delivers a wide on straight-up and gets crashed for FOUR by Cummins. A couple of singles exchanged, one a leg bye, before Cummins goes again… that’s even better! Again it’s wide and full from Siraj and Cummins leans back and carves it to the boundary. Australia are flying on day two and India are looking very flustered.

100th over: Australia 371-6 (Smith 96, Cummins 36) As India bowl their 100th over of the innings, we have a crowd figure of 62,000 in to watch Smith move calmly to 99 with a tuck to deep square and a tap to deep point. Here we go…

As we pause for drinks ahead of the 100th over, there’s time to revisit a Boxing Day innings that had more than a few shades of Sam Konstas in it: Kim Hughes’ sparkling century against the pomp of the West Indies fast bowling cartel in 1981…

99th over: Australia 371-6 (Smith 96, Cummins 36) Siraj cannons one into Smith’s pads on ball one and has a shout, appealing to the umpire for once. Sharma shakes his head at the big quick to say no, I won’t be frittering our final review on that. It sounded like an inside edge and replays prove it. Smith guides one past mid-on to move to 95. Cummins takes another from the fourth and Smith paddles a single from the fifth.

99th over: Australia 368-6 (Smith 94, Cummins 35) Double bowling change for India as Nitish Kumar Reddy replaces Jasprit Bumrah. That’s another win for the home side to have sent Mr Tick-Tick-Bumh back into his box without a breakthrough this morning. Reddy only got five overs yesterday and starts with 0-10 today. A Smudge nudge to square leg makes it 0-11 and Cummins adds another with a cut over the infield. Smith’s single from the last takes him within one shot of a 34th Test century.

98th over: Australia 365-6 (Smith 92, Cummins 34) Akash Deep has been sent to the deep to mull over his 15-run over. Instead it’s Indian firebrand Mohammed Siraj back into the attack. He’s full on the first four, short on the fifth and Cummins leaves the last to make it a maiden.

97th over: Australia 365-6 (Smith 92, Cummins 34) This Smith-Cummins partnership has rocketed to 60, Australia have added 48 this morning and are charging to 400. And they’re even closer now as Smith swivels and swats Bumrah’s fifth ball over the fine leg fence for a hooked SIX. That takes Smudge into the nineties.

96th over: Australia 359-6 (Smith 86, Cummins 34) Run drought over! Smith clips Deep for four from the first, tucking it off his hip with ease. Now another two as Smith guides it through backward point. Now Cummins is in on the action, stepping back to uppercut over slips for FOUR. Cop that Mr Konstas! And now some style from the skipper as Deep drops short and is driven off the back foot through covers. Fifteen from the over!

95th over: Australia 344-6 (Smith 79, Cummins 26) Cummins taps a single from Bumrah to get Smith into the action. Although he’s batting almost a metre out of his crease, Smith hasn’t got on top of Bumrah yet. He takes a single to think it over, which leaves Cummins to cop another bouncer, this one whistling past his chin and causing Captain pat to Fosbury Flop out of its path.

94th over: Australia 342-6 (Smith 78, Cummins 25) Rowan Sweeney is back in touch asking what’s par on this wicket? The way Ricky Ponting is talking on the box, rhapsodising of the grass and the absence of cracks and crumble, it’s 450. That means Australia need 100+ from their final four wickets. And the runs have suddenly dried up as Akash Deep delivers another maiden.

93rd over: Australia 342-6 (Smith 78, Cummins 25) Finally a bouncer! Bumrah revs it up to 138kph and Cummins is immediately made to look awkward. He flinches at the next one too, a little rattled. India’s captain moves a leg gully into place to up the ante. It’s another Bumrah maiden but that one had genuine menace.

92nd over: Australia 342-6 (Smith 78, Cummins 25) Again Cummins gets easy runs, this time two from a back-foot push that beats gully. He then takes a single off a no-ball to give Smith a chance. Sunil Gavaskar reckons India haven’t bowled enough bouncers and he’s right: Australia’s runs this morning have come too freely. Cummins proves that point in style, stepping forward to Deep and driving him handsomely to the rope.

91st over: Australia 332-6 (Smith 78, Cummins 17) Bumrah beats Smith on the first! That was a statement ball. It got the batter jumping and a drew a rueful grin from the bowler. Bumrah’s grin just gets wider as he beats Smith on the final three. A masterful maiden.

90th over: Australia 332-6 (Smith 78, Cummins 17) Cummins continues to take easy singles and gift the strike to Smith. The Australian captain has 100+ runs for the series at an average of almost 20. Smith has 200+ thanks to that 101 in the third Test and adds another four to that tally, stepping down and driving Deep through the covers. Great shot! This partnership has now added 33 runs.

89th over: Australia 324-6 (Smith 74, Cummins 16) Now the key battle of the morning: Steve Smith v Jasprit Bumrah. India’s master quick yesterday added 3-75 to his 21 wickets for the series. Smith has taken guard two inches outside leg stump to allow his now-customary stride across the pegs. He watches the first four warily, then flinches at the last with a half-shot, edging along the ground and through slips for four.

88th over: Australia 320-6 (Smith 70, Cummins 15) Akash Deep will bowl the second over, probably to allow Bumrah to charge in from his preferred end. Deep went to stumps with 1-59 from his 19 wickets and he starts with a maiden today.

87th over: Australia 320-6 (Smith 70, Cummins 15) Great start for Australia. Smith taps an easy single to settle the nerves and Siraj strays on the second allowing Cummins pounces with a flash blade that drives it to the rope. Now Cummins works a legside ball off his hip and a misfield - the bane of India’s fielding yetserday – allows three runs. Eight from the first half-over! A Smith single makes it nine from the full six

Steve Smith is walking to the crease 123 runs short of the magical 10,000 Test runs milestone. Of course the first two men to achieve that feat are the men whose names adorns the trophy up for grabs in this series: the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Smith has his captain Pat Cummins at the other end and Mohammed Siraj warming up with the ball in hand. Here we go, folks…

Thankfully for Victorians under threat of bushfire, it’s a cooler day in Melbourne today – currently 18C and rising to 22C . We have cloud cover at the MCG and Ricky Ponting, having eyed off this pitch, predicting a perfect day for batting.

Will Steve Smith and Pat Cummins kick on this morning? Or will India’s batters – minus Shubman Gill who has been controversially dropped in favour of playing a second spinner in Washington Sundar – get the best of it on day two?

Players are warming up on the ground and action will soon be under way.

The Konstas blitzkrieg drew an extraordinary response from his cricket hero Virat Kohli who veered across three lanes of traffic to put the shoulder into the youngster.

Although Kohli tried to claim it as the teenager’s fault and Usman Khawaja played peacemaker, Kohli has been clipped 20% of his match fee – a small price to pay for an epic display of petulance. Konstas himself shrugged off the incident as “just cricket”…

Watch the Konstas highlights package with this as your soundtrack…

Here’s how local media saw the Konstas Kaos at the MCG…

For those who came in late, here’s how Geoff Lemon bottled the lightning of day one…