Team India toppled Australia at their home in the opening Test of the 5-match Border Gavaskar Trophy by registering a 295 run win. India arrived into the series low on confidence and expectations given their home series loss to New Zealand. Australia were firm favourites with experts predicting a drubbing win for the home side at the Optus Stadium in Perth.
Jasprit Bumrah’s India defeated the Australians at their Optus fortress, handing them their first-ever defeat at the venue with a 295-run win in the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. India bowled Australia out for 238 to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series after setting a mammoth 534-run target.
Meanwhile, the Australians looked like they were carrying a cloud of resignation, as Josh Hazlewood’s body language betrayed. On the fourth day, Skipper Jasprit Bumrah (3/42) and Mohammed Siraj (3/54) led the charge with Washington Sundar and Nitish Reddy providing support by claiming a wicket each. India had set Australia an imposing target of 534 runs on day three. In-form batter Travis Head (89) fell to Bumrah’s brilliance.
A length delivery climbed as Head attempted a drive, only to edge it to the keeper. Bumrah’s celebration said it all. Mitchell Marsh (47) looked solid at the crease before Reddy, capping off an impressive Test match, bowled a delivery that cramped Marsh for room, leading to an inside edge onto the stumps.
Australia’s batter in this WTC cycle, Alex Carey (30*), put up resistance and Washington Sundar struck just before tea, removing Mitchell Starc (12) to edge India closer to a victory. Earlier in the morning, Siraj delivered incisive spells to dismiss the experienced Usman Khawaja (4) and the out-of-form Steven Smith (17). Khawaja mistimed a pull shot off Siraj, with Rishabh Pant—IPL’s $3 million man—taking a superb catch running backward. Meanwhile, Smith, desperate to overcome his slump, fell to a perfectly pitched delivery that found his outside edge, with Pant completing a diving catch to end a 62-run stand.
Australia’s struggles with Smith and Marnus Labuschagne’s dip in form during this WTC cycle remain a concern. Smith even abandoned his trigger movement toward the off-stump, wary of being trapped lbw on a pitch with bounce. Travis Head adopted a counter-attacking approach on the deteriorating track. He punished loose deliveries, driving anything pitched up and cutting short balls with disdain. His fifty came off just 63 balls, highlighted by a precise ramp shot over the keeper’s head.
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