Virat Kohli's controversy on day 1 draws historic attendance on day 2 of Boxing Day Test

Australia and India are taking on each other in the iconic Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne. The essence of the Boxing Day Test lit up on day 1 when a controversy ignited after former India skipper after the ‘shoulder charge’ for Indian stalwart Virat Kohli towards the teen Aussie debutant Sam Konstas.

This controversy sparked global debate in the cricketing fraternity, drawing divided opinions and reactions from former cricketers, experts and the fans of the game. Some stood with Kohli while some opposed Kohli’s attitude towards a teen debutant.

In the same line of events, this ‘Virat Kohli’ controversy that ignited on the opening day of the Boxing Day Test happened to draw a record attendance on the second day of the game.

The second day of the ongoing Boxing Day Test recorded a remarkable headcount of 85,147, which happened to be the highest attendance on the second day of any Boxing Day Test in the history of this ‘iconic’ match.

India on the backfoot at the end of day 2 

Speaking of the action of the match on the second day of the game at MCG, Australia started with their overnight score of 311 runs for the loss of 6 wickets. Former Aussie skipper and the modern-day batting great, Steve Smith scored his Test career’s 34th century. Smith scored 140 runs, with 13 fours and three sixes before getting bowled off Akash Deep. 

Besides him, skipper Pat Cummins also played a quick knock of 49 runs off 63 balls, hitting 7 fours. Australia’s innings ended up at the score of 474 runs, with Jasprit Bumrah scalping 4 wickets for India, alongside 3 wickets claimed by Ravindra Jadeja. Apart from these two, Washington Sundar and Akash Deep also picked 1 and 2 wickets, respectively.

In response to Australia’s big total, India fumbled in the beginning, losing two wickets at the score of 51 runs. Then came a crucial 102-run stand for the third wicket between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli before the former’s 82-run knock ended in a confusion-inflicted run-out. At the end of the day’s play, India had scored 164 runs for the loss of 5 wickets, having wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant and star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja.