The first day of the opening Test between Australia and India in Perth saw a dramatic turn of events, with pace bowlers dominating on a green-tinged Optus Stadium pitch. After India was bowled out for just 150, they ended the day in control, thanks to Jasprit Bumrah’s brilliant spell of 4 for 17. Bumrah tore through the Australian top order, leaving them reeling with some superb seam bowling.
Early Breakthroughs by Bumrah
Bumrah’s early breakthroughs were crucial. He dismissed debutant Nathan McSweeney for 10 with a full-length delivery, followed by two quick wickets—Usman Khawaja and Steven Smith—in the same over. Smith, returning to his preferred No. 4 spot, fell to a sharp delivery from Bumrah that trapped him lbw. Australia’s troubles mounted when debutant Harshit Rana bowled out Travis Head, while Mohammed Siraj dismissed Mitchell Marsh and Marnus Labuschagne. Labuschagne had a tough time, dropped by Virat Kohli on 2, and struggled to get going, making only 2 runs off 52 balls.
Australia’s Struggles and Bumrah’s Late Return
Bumrah returned late in the day to dismiss captain Pat Cummins as Australia limped to 67 for 7 at stumps, trailing India by 83 runs. This followed a turbulent Indian innings, where Australia dismissed them for 150 in just 49.4 overs. India’s top order struggled against the Australian pace attack, with Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood leading the charge. Starc was particularly impressive, claiming four wickets in the first session, while Hazlewood and Marsh also chipped in with crucial breakthroughs.
Indian Batting Collapse
India’s batting collapse started with opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, who fell cheaply to Starc, followed by Devdutt Padikkal and Virat Kohli. Padikkal, replacing Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill at No. 3, fell to Hazlewood, while Kohli edged a lifting delivery from Hazlewood. KL Rahul, despite taking a hit on the elbow before the match, fought through the carnage. However, his stay ended quickly after a controversial caught-behind decision, which the review overturned.
Lower-Order Resistance from Pant and Reddy
The lower order showed some resistance through Rishabh Pant and debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy, who added 48 runs, the highest partnership of the innings. However, both were dismissed before tea, and India were bowled out shortly after. Cummins, though picking up two wickets, had a mixed day. Moreover, despite Australia’s strong position, their batting woes remained evident, with their chase for 150 runs still looking like a challenging task.
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