Australia’s teenage opener Sam Konstas smashed a rapid half-century on debut and was involved in an altercation with Virat Kohli on a dramatic first day of his Test career.

On the first day of the fourth Test, India fought back with four late wickets to leave Australia on 311 for six after Konstas had lit up the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Boxing Day.

Australia’s Daily Telegraph splashed with Konstas on its front page and described Kohli’s actions a ‘childish’.

The 19-year-old, who is the youngest batsman to debut for Australia since 1953, smashed 60 from just 65 balls which included repeatedly attempting to ramp Jasprit Bumrah.

Konstas first audacious attempt came from just his 11th ball in Test cricket, and he failed to make contact with his first two efforts. But he continued to play the shot and was rewarded with a four, a six and another four off one of the world’s premier fast bowlers.

Konstas reached his half-century off 52 deliveries, which is the third-fastest for an Australian on debut.

There was controversy amid the swashbuckling batting, too, in front of a bumper crowd of 87, 242. At the end of the 10th over, Kohli ‘shoulder charged’ Konstas before a tense exchange of words. Kohli was then booed.

“I think the emotions got to both of us,” Konstas told Australia’s Channel 7 after the day’s play. “I didn’t quite realise, I was doing my gloves, then a little shoulder charge, but it happens in cricket.”

It was confirmed after play that Kohli has been fined 20 per cent of his match fee and given a demerit point for the incident.

Konstas was brought into the Australia side after just 11 first-class matches to replace opener Nathan McSweeney, who was dropped after just three Tests despite senior figures in the side – including his opening partner Usman Khawaja – struggling for form.

He had promised to keep things simple with a “see ball, hit ball” approach in his first Test. But Bumrah beat his bat four times in the first over before Konstas whipped two off his pads to get off the mark, triggering a roar from the crowd.

Dancing down the wicket at Mohammed Siraj, he swung and missed at a ball, prompting a long stare and some choice words from the fiery quick, who was booed by the crowd.

Konstas charged Siraj again on the next delivery to hit him for three.

After Konstas raised his fifty with two runs off Siraj, the bowler gained a small measure of revenge when he sent a delivery crashing into the Australian’s crotch but the young batter recovered to linger at the crease for another six overs.

“It was quite surreal, obviously, with the big crowd, biggest crowd I’ve ever played in, and I feel like the boys welcomed me,” said Konstas.

“So just playing with that freedom and backing myself and [being] lucky to get a few runs today. Obviously I’m a bit disappointed with the way I got out, but hopefully we get a bit of momentum for tomorrow.”

It was left to Bumrah to keep India in the fight, the pace spearhead bowling dangerman Travis Head for a duck with the ageing ball and getting all-rounder Mitchell Marsh to nick behind for four.

Seamer Akash Deep later chipped in with the wicket of Alex Carey for 31, breaking a rapid 53-run partnership with Steve Smith. Smith was 68 not out, with Pat Cummins on eight.

Having sailed past 150 for the loss of one wicket, Australia were only narrowly ahead of the game by stumps with the five-Test series level at 1-1.