India Take Control After Madcap Day 1 of First Test Against Australia

The first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at Optus Stadium, Perth, opened in dramatic fashion as India edged ahead in a chaotic day marked by sensational seam bowling, momentum swings, and a DRS controversy. At stumps, Australia were reeling at 67 for 7, trailing India’s first innings total of 150 by 83 runs.

Bumrah Shines as Stand-in Captain

India’s Jasprit Bumrah, leading the side in the absence of regular captain Rohit Sharma, delivered a masterclass in seam bowling. He finished with stunning figures of 4 for 17 in 10 overs, dismantling Australia’s top order.

Bumrah struck in his third over to remove debutant Nathan McSweeney for 10, trapping him lbw with a fuller delivery.
He then dismissed Usman Khawaja and Steven Smith with back-to-back deliveries in the seventh over. Smith fell to an unplayable ball that decked back sharply.
Bumrah capped off the day by removing Pat Cummins in the final session.

Australia’s Batting Struggles

Australia’s batters had a torrid time against India’s pacers:

Mohammed Siraj complemented Bumrah’s efforts with 2 for 17, including the wicket of Marnus Labuschagne, who endured a painstaking innings of 2 runs off 52 balls.
Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh fell cheaply, with debutant Harshit Rana claiming his maiden Test wicket by clean-bowling Head.

Labuschagne, dropped by Virat Kohli early, struggled to score and was dismissed lbw by Siraj.

India’s Batting Woes

Earlier, India’s decision to bat first on a green-tinged surface under overcast skies backfired. The visitors were bowled out for 150 in just 49.4 overs, with nine dismissals caught behind the wicket.

Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood dominated the first session.
- Starc removed Yashasvi Jaiswal for 0 and later dismissed KL Rahul, whose controversial DRS decision added drama.
- Hazlewood accounted for Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, and Ravindra Sundar, finishing with 4 for 29.
Rishabh Pant (37) provided some resistance with audacious strokeplay, including a scoop for six off Pat Cummins. Debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy (41) partnered with Pant to add 48 runs, the highest stand of the innings, before both fell to Cummins and Marsh.

Key Moments

DRS Drama: KL Rahul’s dismissal sparked controversy when Snicko detected a spike despite Rahul insisting the ball hit his pad. The decision was overturned, leaving Rahul visibly frustrated.
Pant’s Fireworks: Pant’s counterattack, highlighted by a remarkable falling scoop off Cummins, briefly gave India hope before he was dismissed.
Bumrah’s Brilliance: His ability to swing the ball both ways and exploit the conditions turned the match in India’s favor.

The Conditions

Unseasonal wet weather ahead of the match created intrigue around the pitch, which offered bounce and movement but wasn’t the minefield the scoreline suggests. Both pace attacks took full advantage, with only brief glimpses of composure from the batters.

Looking Ahead

India have seized the momentum, but with a long way to go, both teams remain in the contest. Day 2 will test India’s ability to capitalize on their bowling effort as Australia’s lower order aims to narrow the deficit.

Summary Scorecard

India 1st Innings: 150 (Reddy 41, Pant 37; Hazlewood 4-29, Starc 2-14)
Australia 1st Innings: 67/7 (Carey 19*; Bumrah 4-17, Siraj 2-17)
India lead by 83 runs.