India Crush Australia by 295 Runs in Perth, Take 1-0 Lead in Border-Gavaskar Trophy

India delivered a commanding performance to defeat Australia by 295 runs in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Optus Stadium, Perth. The victory ended Australia’s unbeaten streak at the venue since 2018 and marked a strong comeback for India after their recent 3-0 series loss to New Zealand.

Day 4: Sealing the Deal

Starting the day at 12 for 3, chasing a record target of 510, Australia managed only 238, losing their last seven wickets within two sessions.

Mohammed Siraj struck early, dismissing Usman Khawaja with a top-edged pull.
Travis Head (89) and Steve Smith added 62 runs before Smith edged Siraj to slip.
After Lunch, Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Head, a crucial breakthrough that triggered a collapse.
Wickets tumbled steadily, with debutant Nitish Reddy and offspinner Washington Sundar also contributing.
Harshit Rana, another debutant, claimed the final wicket, bowling Alex Carey (36) to wrap up the match.

India’s Bowling Dominance

Jasprit Bumrah: 5-30 in the first innings and 3-42 in the second, leading the attack brilliantly.
Debutants Harshit Rana (6 wickets across both innings) and Nitish Reddy impressed with key breakthroughs.
Australia’s batters, apart from Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh (47), failed to cope with India’s relentless pace and spin.

India’s Batting Revival

Despite being bowled out for 150 in the first innings, India’s batters roared back in the second innings:

Yashasvi Jaiswal: After a first-innings duck, he smashed a majestic 161, converting his fourth Test ton into another 150+ score.
KL Rahul: Scored a composed 77, forming a 201-run opening partnership with Jaiswal.
Virat Kohli: Played a pivotal role with an unbeaten 100, his 30th Test century, solidifying India’s dominance before the declaration at 487 for 6.

Key Moments

Day 1 Collapse: Both teams struggled on a lively pitch, with 17 wickets falling. India were bowled out for 150, but Bumrah’s fiery spell (3 wickets in fading light) left Australia reeling at 79 for 9.
Tail-Wagging Resistance: Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood added 25 for the last wicket to take Australia to 104, reducing India’s first-innings lead to just 46 runs.
India’s Redemption: Jaiswal’s century and Kohli’s drought-breaking ton in the second innings set an insurmountable target.

Brief Scores

India: 150 (Nitish Kumar Reddy 41, Rishabh Pant 37; Josh Hazlewood 4-29) & 487/6 decl. (Yashasvi Jaiswal 161, Virat Kohli 100*).
Australia: 104 (Mitchell Starc 26; Jasprit Bumrah 5-30) & 238 (Travis Head 89, Mitchell Marsh 47; Bumrah 3-42, Siraj 3-51).

What’s Next

With a 1-0 lead in the five-match series, India will head into the second Test full of confidence, while Australia will need to regroup quickly to avoid further setbacks in their home conditions.