India stun Australia in Perth to take a 1-0 lead in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy

The match was quickly wrapped up in the final over of Day 4, with India needing just five overs to claim the last two Australian wickets. Washington Sundar bowled Nathan Lyon for a duck and debutant Harshit Rana sealed victory by dismissing Alex Curry for 36, leaving Australia all out for 238 in the chase of 510.

India’s Grit Despite Rough Start

India’s first innings was far from ideal as they were bowled out for a paltry 150. Josh Hazlewood wreaked havoc with figures of 4/29 while debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy battled valiantly with 41 runs on his maiden outing. Rishabh Pant contributed 37 and KL Rahul showed resilience before being controversially dismissed.

However, India’s bowlers turned the tide under the dim light of Perth. Jasprit Bumrah (3/30) led a stunning fightback, claiming the prized wicket of Steve Smith for a golden duck. Debutant Harshit Rana (1/16) and Mohammed Siraj chipped in, putting Australia out for 104 and giving India a slender 46-run lead.

Jaiswal and Kohli Shine in Second Innings

India capitalized on their narrow advantage with a commanding batting display in the second innings. Yashasvi Jaiswal, who had been dismissed for a duck earlier, was redeemed with a stellar 161, his fourth Test century. Along with KL Rahul (77), Jaiswal put together a mammoth 201-run partnership.

Virat Kohli then piled on the misery for Australia with his 30th Test hundred, finishing unbeaten on 100. India declared on 487/6, setting Australia a mammoth target of 510 runs.

Australia falters under pressure

Australia faced a daunting task and made a disastrous start to their chase, losing three quick wickets late on Day 3. Nathan McSweeney’s forgettable debut ended with a duck, while Marnus Labuschagne fell LBW to an inswinger.

Despite valiant efforts from Travis Head (89) and Mitchell Marsh (47), Australia’s batsmen collapsed against India’s relentless bowling. Bumrah (3/42) and Siraj (3/51) were instrumental in dismantling the Australian line-up.

Core Performance and Looking Ahead

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  Jasprit Bumrah: The spearhead of India’s attack, Bumrah’s nine wickets in the match were instrumental in the team’s success.
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  Yashasvi Jaiswal: He was bought out with a commanding 161 after a failure in the first few games.
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  Nitish Kumar Reddy: He showed promise on debut with a crucial 41 in difficult conditions.
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  Harshit Rana: A memorable debut with four key wickets in both innings.

India’s emphatic win in Perth sets the tone for the rest of the five-match series, with the visitors now brimming with confidence. Australia will need to regroup quickly as the action shifts to Adelaide for the second Test.

Short scores:

• India 150 (Nitish Kumar Reddy 41, Rishabh Pant 37; Josh Hazlewood 4/29) & 487/6 decl. (Yashasvi Jaiswal 161, Virat Kohli 100*, Nathan Lyon 2/96)
• Australia 104 (Mitchell Starc 26; Jasprit Bumrah 5/30) & 238 (Travis Head 89; Bumrah 3/42, Siraj 3/51)

India won by 295 runs