BGT 2024-25, AUS vs IND, 1st Test, Day 1: Jasprit Bumrah's 4-17 and Siraj's 2-17 reduces Australia to 67-7 after India bowled out for 150 at Perth.
Brief Score: AUS 67/7 (Alex Carey 19, Jasprit Bumrah 4/17) trails IND 150 (Nitish Kumar Reddy 41, Josh Hazlewood 4/14) by 83 runs.
After a terrible batting failure in the first test of the 2024-25 Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT), Nitish Kumar Reddy and Rishabh Pant fought back to take India to the 150-mark. Josh Hazlewood took 4 wickets, while Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Marsh grabbed two each.
Later, a collective bowling effort from India put Australia in a challenging situation. India skipper Jasprit Bumrah picked up four wickets to reduce the hosts to 67/7 at stumps on Day 1.
Earlier, India handed Test debuts to all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy and pacer Harshit Rana. The spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja were benched with the in-form Washington Sundar drafted in the XI. For Australia, Nathan McSweeney was given his debut cap.
Talking Point: India bowlers save the day, batters disappoint
India found themselves in a precarious situation where the bowlers emerged as the saviors, highlighting a pressing need for greater discipline and focus from the batting lineup. After yet another batting collapse, it was the India bowlers who truly saved the day.
It is evident that self-belief and discipline are the keys to redemption for the batters. Their performances have been scrutinised for the lack of consistency and strategic approach. While they have showcased immense talent and flair earlier, there seems to be a recurring issue of lack of discipline in their approach which needs to be addressed.
Meanwhile, the India bowling unit showcased another brilliant performance by destroying Australia’s top and middle order.
Starc, Hazlewood shine, India 51/4 at Lunch
India’s stand-in skipper, Jasprit Bumrah, won the toss and opted to bat first in Perth. The visitors finished the first session tottering on 51/4 as Australia pacers Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Pat Cummins ruled the roost early on Day 1.
KL Rahul kept India ticking for much of the first session as he saw wickets fall at the other end. However, his innings came to an end in rather controversial circumstances towards the end of the first session.
Yashasvi Jaiswal and Devdutt Padikkal earlier fell for ducks to Mitchell Starc. Padikkal fell for a 23-ball duck while Jaiswal fell to Starc off the first ball of the pacer's second over of the day. Meanwhile, Virat Kohli edged to first slip after scoring just five runs.
Hazlewood bags four as India fold for 150
Josh Hazlewood took four wickets as Australia bundled India out for 150 in their first innings on Day 1. India went on to lose two more wickets to Mitchell Marsh early in the second session.
Debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy's 41 off 59 balls and his seventh wicket stand with Rishabh Pant dragged a tottering Indian innings to the 150-mark. Reddy and Pant put up a partnership of 48 runs off 85 balls, with the pair coming together when the score was 73/6.
For the hosts, besides Hazlewood’s four-wicket haul, Cummins, Starc and Marsh claimed two wickets each.
Bumrah wrecks havoc, Australia close at 67/7
Jasprit Bumrah picked up three wickets in the first seven overs, including two in two balls to leave Australia staggering at 19/3. Bumrah first dismissed debutant Nathan McSweeney for 10, before striking in his fourth over, getting Usman Khawaja and Steven Smith out on back-to-back balls.
Meanwhile, Virat Kohli went on to drop a sitter as Marnus Labuschagne got a lifeline. Harshit Rana picked up his maiden Test wicket, dismissing Travis Head to send Australia four-down. India quicks, led by their captain Bumrah and fellow pacers Harshit and Mohammed Siraj ran through Australia’s top and middle order. Bumrah's 4/17, Rana's 1/33, and Siraj's 2/17 reduced Australia to 67/7 at stumps, trailing by 83 runs.
Statistical highlights from Australia vs India, 1st Test, Day 1
Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed for a duck for the second time in his Test career.
KL Rahul has crossed the 3,000-run mark in Test cricket.
Virat Kohli was dismissed for the fourth time by Josh Hazlewood in Tests.
Yashasvi Jaiswal got out for the fourth time off left arm pace in Tests.
Mitchell Starc has reached the 50-wicket mark against India in Tests.
Josh Hazlewood is now the second-highest wicket-taker (55) for Australia against India in Tests.
Steven Smith was dismissed for a golden duck for the second time in his Test career. The first instance was against SA in 2014.
Marnus Labuschagne's innings of 2(52) is the slowest innings by an Australia batter in Tests (min 50 balls faced). His strike rate was 3.84.
Australia's score of 47 for the loss of the sixth wicket is their second-lowest at the fall of the sixth wicket in Tests against India. The lowest was 24-6 in Chennai in 1969-70.
What’s next
Early in the morning on Day 2, Jasprit Bumrah and Co. will look to get some early wickets. Whereas, the Aussies will try to bat as long as they can.
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