PERTH, Friday – A dramatic opening day of the first Test between India and Australia saw fortunes swing wildly, with India staging a stunning comeback after being bundled out for 150. At stumps, Australia found themselves in disarray at 67-7, trailing by 83 runs, as Jasprit Bumrah dismantled their top order with a sensational spell of 4-17.
Alex Carey (19*) and Mitchell Starc (6*) remained unbeaten, tasked with steering their side out of trouble after an explosive final session.
India’s Struggles with the Bat
Winning the toss, India elected to bat but faltered against a ruthless Australian pace attack led by Josh Hazlewood, who claimed 4-29. Debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy (41) and Rishabh Pant (37) showed resilience, adding vital runs amidst a cascade of wickets. However, the visitors’ frailty was evident, particularly with star batter Virat Kohli managing just five runs.
The absence of regular captain Rohit Sharma and key batsmen like Shubman Gill and Sarfaraz Khan, coupled with a bold decision to drop veteran spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, exposed India’s vulnerability.
Bumrah’s Masterclass Shifts Momentum
India’s bowlers responded emphatically. Bumrah struck early, dismissing rookie Nathan McSweeney lbw for 10. While Marnus Labuschagne survived a dropped catch by Kohli, India quickly recovered as Usman Khawaja (8) and Steve Smith (0) fell in quick succession, with Kohli redeeming himself by taking a catch and Bumrah trapping Smith lbw next ball.
Harshit Rana, making his Test debut, clean-bowled Travis Head (11) for his maiden wicket. Mohammed Siraj joined the carnage, removing Labuschagne (2) and Mitchell Marsh (5) before Bumrah returned to claim Pat Cummins’ wicket, leaving Australia reeling.
“It’s a good day to be a fast bowler,” said Starc. “Both sides bowled well, but there’s a lot in the wicket to work with.”
What Lies Ahead
India, aiming for a strong comeback after a recent 3-0 series defeat to New Zealand, holds the upper hand after Day 1.
“The wicket has a lot of assistance, and we bowled to our plans,” said Reddy. “Now we must bat better in the second innings to solidify our position.”
With Perth hosting the first of five matches in the Border-Gavaskar series, this thrilling day sets the stage for a fiercely contested series. Can Australia recover, or will India capitalize on their momentum? Day 2 promises more fireworks.
