India beat Australia in Perth to take 1-0 lead in Border-Gavaskar Trophy

The match ended quickly in the final session of the fourth day, with India needing just five overs to take the last two Australian wickets. Washington Sundar bowled Nathan Lyon for a duck and debutant Harshit Rana dismissed Alex Carey for 36 to seal the win and Australia were all out for 238 while chasing 510.

India’s fighting spirit despite a tough start

India’s first innings was not ideal as they were bowled out for just 150 runs. Josh Hazlewood wreaked havoc with figures of 4/29, while debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy fought valiantly to score 41 runs in his first outing. Rishabh Pant scored 37 and KL Rahul showed resilience before he was controversially left out.

But India’s bowlers turned things around under the dim lights of Perth. Jasprit Bumrah (3/30) led a superb counterattack to take the precious wicket of Steve Smith for a golden duck. Debutants Harshit Rana (1/16) and Mohammed Siraj came together to bundle Australia out for 104 runs and give India a 46-run lead.

Jaiswal and Kohli shine in the second innings.

India displayed a dominant batting performance in the second innings and capitalized on their narrow advantage. Yashasvi Jaiswal, who had earlier been dismissed for a duck, redeemed himself with a superb 161, his fourth Test century. With KL Rahul (77), Jaiswal put together a stupendous 201-run opening partnership.

Virat Kohli has added to Australia’s misery. It was his 30th Test hundred and he finished unbeaten on 100. India declared at 487/6, setting Australia an impressive target of 510 runs.

Australia shakes under pressure

Australia faced a difficult task and started the chase disastrously, losing three wickets late in the third day. Nathan McSweeney’s unforgettable debut ended with a duck and Marnus Labuschagne was dropped LBW to an inswinger.

Despite great performances from Travis Head (89) and Mitchell Marsh (47), the Australian batsmen were faltered by India’s persistent bowling. Bumrah (3/42) and Siraj (3/51) played a key role in dismantling the Australian line-up.

Key achievements and future prospects

• 
  Jasprit Bumrah: Spearheading the Indian attack, Bumrah’s nine wickets in the match played a pivotal role in the team’s success.
• 
  Yashasvi Jaiswal: After a failed first innings, he redeemed himself by scoring 161.
• 
  Nitish Kumar Reddy: He showed promise in his debut with an important 41 in difficult conditions.
• 
  Hasitrana: A memorable debut with four key wickets across two innings.

India’s emphatic win in Perth set the tone for the remainder of the five-match series and the visitors are now brimming with confidence. Australia will need to regroup quickly as they travel to Adelaide for the second Test.

Brief score:

• India 150 (Nitish Kumar Reddy 41, Rishabh Pant 37, Josh Hazlewood 4/29) & 487/6 decl. (Yashasvi Jaiswal 161, Virat Kohli 100*; Nathan Lyon 2/96)
• Australia 104 (Mitchell Starc 26; Jasprit Bumrah 5/30) and 238 (Travis Head 89; Bumrah 3/42, Siraj 3/51).

India wins by 295 runs