Australia vs India: Day four live scores from the MCG, full scorecard
- Australia needs another 11 wickets to head to Sydney with a 2-1 lead in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Will Mitch Starc be fit to join the victory push? FOLLOW DAY 4 LIVE
Scott Boland has backed a sore Mitchell Starc to push through the Boxing Day Test as pressure builds on Australia’s bowling attack after a barren third day at the MCG.
Starc clutched at his left lower back after sending down a delivery in the second session and sought treatment on the boundary line from Australian team physio Nick Jones.
But the left-arm quick never left the field and continued with his spell, taking the ball again after an hour-long rain delay and continuing to hit speeds above 140km/h.
The 34-year-old has bowled 115.2 overs for the series – only eight fewer deliveries than the most-used bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Pat Cummins.
Speaking after stumps, Boland declared his teammate was “OK”, but had a niggling complaint “somewhere in his back or rib”.
“I think (Starc) is underrated for how tough he is. A couple of years ago here at the MCG, he had a broken finger, and we pretty much planned for him not to bowl at all, but he came out and bowled 140km/h swingers,” Boland said.
“He’s someone who can play through a lot of pain – he’s played close to 90 Test matches now, and as a fast bowler, there’s not many games where you do play without any niggle at all.
“He’s someone who can still bowl (at) the same pace even when he is really sore, which is a great trait to have.”
Boland, who was once again Australia’s top bowler on his home ground with economical figures of 3-57 from 27 overs, said the MCG pitch was offering less movement than he would like as he cast doubt over whether it would take more turn in the final two days