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Xtra Time Web Desk: Australia's head coach Andrew McDonald has alleged that Indian players intimidated Sam Konstas after Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Usman Khawaja on the final ball of Day 1 in the Sydney Test. With Australia leading the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2-1 and inching closer to a World Test Championship final spot, tensions ran high during Friday's play.

After India were bowled out for 185 runs, Australia briefly batted before the umpires called off the day. India had requested an additional over in hopes of dismissing a couple of Australian batsmen to end the day on a high note. However, Khawaja's delay in taking guard appeared to be wasting time, frustrating Bumrah, who visibly expressed his discontent. Konstas, standing at the non-striker's end, intervened, leading to a heated exchange between him and Bumrah, with the on-field umpire stepping in to calm the situation.

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As it turned out, Bumrah dismissed Khawaja on the last ball, giving India a sense of satisfaction as they left the field. Bumrah's icy stare at Konstas during the celebration fueled further tension.

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McDonald revealed he checked on Konstas' well-being after the incident, emphasizing the intimidating nature of the Indian celebration. He stated, “Clearly, the way India celebrated that was quite intimidating,” but acknowledged that the actions were within the laws of the game. McDonald reassured that no charges had been laid by the ICC, leaving the matter in the hands of match officials.

While McDonald expressed concern over Konstas' state of mind, he concluded, “If the umpires and Andy Pycroft, the match referee, thought it was satisfactory, then that’s the benchmark we are playing among."