India took a 1-0 series lead in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after a massive 295-run win over Australia in the first Test of the five-match series in Perth. India needed two wickets in the final session of Day 4 and it took them merely five overs to complete the proceedings. The win also brought an end to Australia’s unbeaten streak since 2018 at the Optus Stadium. It was a wonderful performance by the Indian team after their 3-0 series defeat to New Zealand last month, especially with two key players not being available – captain Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill.
Australia, who were 12 for 3 overnight, came into Day 4 requiring an astronomical 510 runs. But they fell into further misery as Mohammed Siraj got Usman Khawaja to top-edge a pull to Rishabh Pant. Travis Head (89) then registered a 62-run stand with Steve Smith and followed it up with an 82-run stand with Mitchell Marsh (47). Head looked comfortable playing his shots while Smith changed his technique and didn’t shuffle outside his off-stump, rather waited for the ball to come to him. However, Smith fell to Siraj outside offstump while Bumrah brought himself into the attack, and picked up Head’s crucial wicket in his first over after Lunch. Marsh chopped one on to his stumps off Nitish Reddy while Mitchell Starc fell to a stunning catch by Dhruv Jurel at forward short leg on the stroke of Tea.
Nathan Lyon, who came in right after the Tea break, was bowled for a duck off his second delivery as he missed a straight one by Washington Sundar after playing for the turn. Alex Carey hung around for a while and also frustrated India briefly as he scored 36 before being castled by Harshit Rana, the wicket which sealed the win for the visitors shortly after the Tea break.
Earlier on the opening day, things hadn’t started off very well for the tourists as Australia managed to bowl them out for 150 as Josh Hazlewood picked up a four-wicket haul. Nitish Kumar Reddy impressed with a fighting 41 on debut during his mini 48-run partnership with Rishabh Pant (37) while KL Rahul, despite only scoring 26, showed resilience and a solid batting technique before being controversially given out, caught-behind. However, it wasn’t all doom and gloom as Jasprit Bumrah picked up three wickets in quick succession, including Steve Smith for a golden-duck, under the fading light in Perth. He first trapped debutant Nathan McSweeney in front before prising out the edge of Usman Khawaja to slip, and Smith followed immediately after. Fast-bowler Rana, on debut, picked up Travis Head while Mitchell Marsh and Pat Cummins also fell on Day 1 as well as a record number of 17 wickets fell on the first day.
It continued to go the same way for the Australians as they succumbed to 79 for 9 before Mitchell Starc and Hazlewood put on a fighting 25-run partnership. The hosts were eventually bowled out for 104, giving India a decent lead of 46 runs. India took complete toll of this small advantage as Yashasvi Jaiswal (161), who had scored a duck in the first innings, scored his fourth Test ton and, together with KL Rahul (77), registered an opening stand of 201 runs. Like his all previous hundreds, Jaiswal then went on to convert the century into a 150 score. Virat Kohli then laid further siege into Australia as he scored his 30th Test century before India declared at 487 for 6.
Australia were put in to bat for 27 minutes on Day 3 and lost three wickets under the fading light once again. McSweeney’s miserable debut came to an end with a duck while Cummins who came in as night-watchman edged one to slip, and Marnus Labuschagne shouldered arms to an inswinger which saw him given LBW. The hosts were left with an astronomical task with two days to go, and it proved a step too far for them as India bundled them out for 238 sealing a historic win for the tourists Down Under.
Brief Scores: India 150 (Nitish Kumar Reddy 41, Rishabh Pant 37; Josh Hazlewood 4-29, Mitchell Marsh 2-12) and 487/6 decl. (Yashasvi Jaiswal 161, Virat Kohli 100*, KL Rahul 77; Nathan Lyon 2-96) beat Australia 104 (Mitchell Starc 26, Alex Carey 21; Jasprit Bumrah 5-30, Harshit Rana 3-48) and 238 (Travis Head 89, Mitchell Marsh 47; Jasprit Bumrah 3-42, Mohammed Siraj 3-51) by 295 runs