The Border Gavaskar 2024-25 Series recently witnessed an off-field controversy involving Ravindra Jadeja.

The left-arm spinner addressed a press conference on Saturday ahead of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne and the proceedings of it have not impressed some media outlets it seems. 

Channel 7 carried out a report claiming Jadeja “refused” to answer questions from their reporters in English and the TV reporters, who had travelled all the way after being “invited” and were left “bemused by the “strange and frosty media conference at the MCG.”

Notably, Jadeja addressed the media after India’s first practice session at the MCG. The press conference proceeded smoothly until Jadeja concluded the session and decided to return to practice. At this point, an Australian journalist expressed frustration, displaying anger over Jadeja not answering any questions in English.

A couple of Australian journalists were rude towards the Indian media manager, asking their camerapersons to keep recording their conversation with the Indian media manager. Their behaviour bordered on the aggressive.

Australian media: One question in English? 

Team manager: sorry, we don’t have time now. You can see the team bus is waiting. 

Aussie media: Can’t we take one question in English?

Manager: This was organised mainly for the travelling Indian media. 

Aussie media: The organisation is hopeless.

This incident comes a couple of days after Channel 7 invaded India legend Virat Kohli’s privacy by filing him with his children without his consent at the Melbourne airport. Although there is no written rule that stops the media from filming a superstar like Kohli in the public domain, his family, especially his young children, could have been spared. Moreover, the aggressive reporting, claiming Kohli lost his cool and had a heated exchange with a female reporter on the same channel, was also questionable.

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy stands at 1-1, and before the Boxing Day Test at the MCG, it appears that tension is not limited to the cricketers on the field.

Teenage sensation Sam Konstas received a call-up into a 15-man squad for the final two matches of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy Series against India.

If played in the Boxing Day Test, Konstas will be Australia’s youngest Test batting debutant in more than 70 years, cricket.com.au reported on Friday.

19-year-old Konstas has been in fine touch his season, posting 152 and 105 in New South Wales’ Sheffield Shield opener against South Australia.

He also made an unbeaten 73 for Australia A at the MCG against an India A attack that included incumbent Test allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy.

Nathan McSweeney, who opened in the first three Tests with little success, has been dropped.

“Sam gets a call up to the Test squad for the first time. His style of batting offers a point of difference and we look forward to watching his game develop further,” said head selector George Bailey.

“We remain confident Nathan has the ability and temperament to succeed at Test level in the future. It was a difficult decision to leave him out.”

Experienced wicketkeeper-batsman Josh Inglis and all-rounder Beau Webster, both uncapped, also remain in the squad as options to replace McSweeney in the opening partnership with Usman Khawaja if Australia decide not to field Konstas.

McSweeney was not the only top order batter struggling for runs in the series with Khawaja averaging 12.6 and number three Marnus Labuschagne 16.40 despite a half-century in the second Test in Adelaide.

“It has clearly been a challenge at the top of the order for batters throughout the series and we want to provide the option of a different line up for the next two matches,” Bailey added.

Fast bowler Jhye Richardson has been included in the squad. Richardson returns after a spate of injuries kept him on the sidelines. His last Test appearance was the 2021-22 Ashes series.

Paceman Sean Abbott also returns to the squad for the remaining Tests at Melbourne and Sydney, as well as uncapped Tasmania allrounder Beau Webster who was added prior to the second Test in Adelaide.

The calf injury Josh Hazlewood sustained during the drawn third Test in Brisbane sees him ruled out for the remainder of the Test summer.

Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Travis Head (vc), Steve Smith (vc), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster.

A jailbreak at the Gabba has brought a palpable sense of relief in the India camp, while giving rise to hope their misfiring top order will finally come good in more batting-friendly conditions in the final two Tests against Australia.

India snatched a draw in the rain-blighted third Test in Brisbane despite yet another top order debacle that left them reeling at 74-5 in reply to Australia’s 445.

Number seven batter Ravindra Jadeja inspired a spirited rearguard action and India’s final pair of Akash Deep and Jasprit Bumrah combined in a 47-run partnership to stave off follow-on.

While India managed to keep the five-Test series level at 1-1 heading into the Boxing day Test in Melbourne, the fragility of their top order remains a major concern for the tourists.

In five completed innings so far in the series, only once have India managed an opening stand of more than 12 runs.

The lone exception came in the second innings of the series opener in Perth where Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul forged a 201-run partnership to set up their comprehensive victory.

The poor starts meant on three out of those five occasions, India posted sub-200 scores, including twice in the day-night second Test in Adelaide, which Australia won by 10 wickets.

There is a growing feeling in the camp, though, that the worst is behind them and that batting will be easier in the last two Tests in Melbourne and Sydney.

“Whatever happened today, it gave us confidence ahead of Melbourne,” India captain Rohit Sharma told reporters on Wednesday.

“We’re aware we have to start from scratch, conditions are different there and the ball may not move around so much there like it did here.”

Rohit’s own struggle with form is symptomatic of the greater malaise afflicting the Indian top order.

The 37-year-old, who missed the opening test to be with his newborn son in Mumbai, has just one fifty in his last 13 Test innings.

The opener has moved down to the middle order in his bid to regain form but managed a highest score of 10 in three innings.

“I have not batted well, there is no harm in accepting that,” Rohit said, denying he was feeling under pressure.

“As long as my mind, my body and my feet are moving well, I’m pretty happy with how things are panning out for me.”

India need to win both matches to make the World Test Championship (WTC) final for the third time in a row without having to rely on other results.

Champions Australia need two wins and a draw in their next four Tests, which include two in Sri Lanka, to be sure of qualification.