Australia steady, India make slow comeback on dramatic day 1 of Boxing Day Test

Australia stunned India by introducing 19-year-old debutant Sam Konstas who rattled the visitors in the first hour after winning the toss and electing to bat first in the Boxing Day Test match.

Konstas, who hammered world's best bowler Jasprit Bumrah on a rare occasion, became the fourth youngest Test debutant for Australia.

Cultivating unorthodox shots and surviving heated exchanges with Indian players, Konstas slammed his maiden Test 50 in just 52 balls.

By the time he was dismissed for 60 from 65 balls by Ravindra Jadeja, Konstas emerged as the right pick for the hosts to partner Usman Khawaja, who suffered a soft dismissal by Jasprit Bumrah batting at 57.

After Khawaja's exit, Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith stitched another vital partnership of 83 runs until it was unwinded by Washington Sundar.

While Labuchagne was dismissed for 72, Smith scripted yet another half-century to maintain his impressive record at MCG.

Smith, who hit five classic boundaries and a six, remained unbeaten at 68 while Bumrah (3/75) and Akash Deep (1/59) helped India claw back in the game with quick wickets in the middle.

The cricketing battles took the backseat often in the first session of the day as several Indian players and debutant Sam Konstas were engaged in heated arguments.

After a few words from Mohammed Siraj to Konstas, the southpaw and India's cricket icon Virat Kohli shouldered mid-pitch as the two were walking past each other.

As Kohli walked past Konstas, the two cricketers' shoulders brushed prompting Konstas to confront.

Kohli, who seemed equally agitated, turned back too and a heated argument started.

The umpires and Konstas' senior opening partner Usman Khawaja soon intervened and calmed the situation.