Indian bowlers starred with a breathtaking bowling display in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Perth. After getting bowled out for 150 batting first, skipper Jasprit Bumrah breathed fire with other seamers Mohammed Siraj and Harshit Rana complimenting him well. India have inflicted an unwanted record on Australia with their scintillating bowling display on the opening day of the Test at the Perth Stadium.
For the second time in 44 years, Australia have lost their top five wickets for a score of under 40 in Test cricket at home. Led by brilliant bowling from the Indian speedsters, the visitors sent the host reeling at 38/5. Since 1952, the Aussies have gone five down at home before crossing 40 only twice, with the other occasion being the 2016 Hobart Test against South Africa. The hosts had then gone 17/5.
India bossed the Australian batters with captain Bumrah being the standout bowler. He began the destruction act with three by getting debutant Nathan McSweeney LBW on a review that was initially given not out in the third over. Bumrah got the other opener Usman Khawaja caught at slips in the seventh over before getting Steve Smith for a golden duck, trapping him plumb in front of the wickets.
India were searching for support from the other end and then came the debutant Harshit Rana, who cleaned up the big fish Travis Head on a ball that straightened after pitching in the channel of uncertainty. Siraj finally struck in his sixth over. He got Mitchell Marsh caught at third slip with KL Rahul taking a blinder of a low catch. The hosts lost half of their side and were in all sort of trouble.
By the end of the day, the speedsters struck twice more with Siraj getting Marnus Labuschagne, who went back for 2 from 52 balls. Bumrah then got his Australian counterpart Pat Cummins caught behind as Australia went to stumps 67/7 with a trail of 83 more.
Australia’s Playing XI:
Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
India’s Playing XI:
KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Reddy, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah (c), Mohammed Siraj
