Perth: India vs Australia: Indian captain Jasprit Bumrah made a strong comeback after a questionable decision to bat first on a lively pitch in Perth during the opening day of the first Test against Australia.

His remarkable spell dismantled the Australian batting lineup, leaving them reeling at 67/7.

The day has been dominated by bowlers, with 17 wickets falling—an unusual occurrence on Australian soil in seven decades.

India vs Australia: India’s Struggles with the Bat

Choosing to bat first on a pitch with visible grass and bounce seemed risky, and India’s batting faltered.

Debutant Nitish Reddy’s gritty 41 and Rishabh Pant’s brisk 37, which included a stunning six, were the only highlights.

India managed 150 runs in 49.4 overs, thanks to a disciplined Australian bowling attack led by Josh Hazlewood (4/29), Mitchell Starc (2/14), Pat Cummins (2/67), and Mitchell Marsh (2/12).

Youngsters like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Devdutt Padikkal couldn’t cope with the moving ball, while Virat Kohli fell to a short-pitched delivery from Hazlewood.

KL Rahul was more patient, grinding out 26 runs from 74 balls, but he too fell under contentious circumstances.

Bumrah’s Spell Turns the Tide

In response, Australia’s batting lineup crumbled under Bumrah’s fiery opening spell.

He took 4 wickets for just 17 runs in 10 overs, supported ably by Mohammed Siraj (2/17) and debutant Harshit Rana (1/33).

Bumrah’s precision and ability to extract movement from the pitch were key.

His deliveries squared up seasoned batters like Usman Khawaja and Steven Smith, the latter falling to an unplayable first ball.

Debutant Nathan McSweeney fell to a nip-backer, while Travis Head was undone by a delivery that straightened after pitching.

Australian’s had no answer to the relentless Indian attack, as even a gritty Labuschagne was removed after a lengthy struggle.

Key Takeaways

India’s decision to bat first may have backfired initially, but Bumrah’s brilliance brought them back into the contest.

The team’s bowlers consistently hit the right lengths, exploiting the pitch conditions to perfection. Despite a lackluster batting effort, India now holds the upper hand, thanks to their bowlers.

Day two will be critical, as India needs its batters to deliver and build a defendable lead.