India Roars Back as Australia Crumbles on Opening Day of First Test
India mounted a stunning fightback on the opening day of the first Test in Perth, bouncing back from a dismal batting collapse to skittle Australia for 67-7 at stumps on Friday.
After being bowled out for just 150, Jasprit Bumrah led India’s resurgence with a fiery spell, ending the day with remarkable figures of 4-17. Australia, reeling from his onslaught, found themselves in disarray despite Alex Carey (19*) and Mitchell Starc (6*) holding on at the close.
Jasprit Bumrah steered India’s fightback with an exceptional bowling display 👏
— ICC (@ICC) November 22, 2024
How the opening day of the #WTC25 contest between #AUSvIND panned out ⬇https://t.co/C4k7KiEs0i
India’s Fragile Start
Opting to bat, India struggled against Australia’s fearsome pace attack. Josh Hazlewood was the star with 4-29, ripping through the visitors’ lineup.
Debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy (41) and Rishabh Pant (37) offered some resistance, but India’s batting woes were evident as skipper Virat Kohli fell cheaply for just five.
Reddy, however, remained optimistic. “We have the advantage now and I’m hoping we can bat better in the second innings and put them under pressure,” he said. “The wicket helped our bowlers, and we made the most of it.”
Bumrah’s Destructive Spell
Australia’s reply got off to a shaky start as Bumrah trapped rookie opener Nathan McSweeney lbw for 10, further exposing the void left by David Warner’s retirement.
Bumrah continued to wreak havoc, dismissing Usman Khawaja (8) and Steve Smith (0) in quick succession. Harshit Rana celebrated his maiden Test wicket by clean-bowling Travis Head (11), while Mohammed Siraj added to the carnage by removing Mitchell Marsh (5) and Marnus Labuschagne (2), the latter surviving 52 balls before departing lbw.
Bumrah capped his performance by removing Australian skipper Pat Cummins (3), leaving the hosts with a daunting task on day two.
Starc, who played a crucial role in dismantling India’s batting lineup, acknowledged the challenging conditions. “A good day to be a fast bowler,” he said. “There was swing, movement, and pace in the wicket. We’ll aim to get as close to their total as we can tomorrow.”
India’s Selection Gamble
India made bold selection calls, leaving out Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Sarfaraz Khan, while injuries and personal commitments sidelined key players like Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill.
The batting lineup’s fragility was evident as Yashasvi Jaiswal departed for a duck, followed by Devdutt Padikkal (0) and Kohli’s rare failure. However, Pant and Reddy steadied the innings momentarily before Australia regained control.
Series Outlook
This thrilling day sets the tone for a highly anticipated five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. India, having won the last two series in Australia, will aim to capitalize on their strong position and extend their dominance Down Under.
