BGT, Perth Test, Day 1: Jasprit Bumrah leads India’s comeback after batters disappoint in 1st innings

The Indian captain for the first Test against Australia, Jasprit Bumrah, picked fourwickets, including removing Usman Khawaja and veteran batter Steve Smith on successive balls to lead India’s comeback on day one in the Perth Test, with Mohammed Siraj and Harshit Rana chipping in with theirs.

Bumrah won the toss and elected to bat first; the Indian batters failed to score big in the first innings as they got all out on 150, with Josh Hazlewood being the architect, picking four wickets. In reply to India's first-inning total, Australia scored 67 for 7 at stumps on day one, trailing by 83 runs.

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The much-hyped Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024 began with a bang, with Mitchell Starc producing a stunning spell to remove Yashasvi Jaiswal inside the third over. Devdutt Padikkal and KL Rahul tried deploying a defensive approach but fell prey to serious pace from Hazlewood and Starc, respectively, though KL Rahul’s debatable dismissal sparked controversy.

Hazlewood also removed India veteran Virat Kohli, caught in the first slip on five.

Rishabh Pant again became a thorn in the flesh for the Aussies, hitting a gritty 37, while Dhruv Jurel and Nitish Kumar Reddy showed hearts on their first outing for India Down Under. Jurel scored 11, but Reddy’s 41 off 59 helped India reach the 150-mark.

Bumrah leads India’s comeback

Bumrah was right on the target from ball one, causing trouble to the new opening pair of Nathan McSweeney and Usman Khawaja, before removing the debutant on just ten. He could have bagged twice in the same over had Kohli not dropped Labuschagne’s sitter in the second slip.

Bumrah, however, fulfilled his wish in his next over by removing Khawaja and Smith off two straight balls. While he dismissed the left-handed opener for the first time in eight meetings, he accounted for Smith, who registered only his second golden duck in Test history.

India’s nemesis, Travis Head, joined Marnus in the middle and began hitting boundaries like he never left, reminding everyone of how good he is. Just before he could pile pressure on the Indians, debutant Harshit Rana bowled him on 11, reducing Australia to 31 for four at one stage.

Mitchell Marsh also failed to weather the storm as he edged one to the slip cordon off Siraj, who later dismissed Australia’s best batter on the day, Marnus, on 52-ball two. Before the end of play, India removed Aussie skipper Pat Cummins for cheap with Alex Carey-Mitchell Starc remaining unbeaten at the stumps. They have a herculean task to take their side near India's total.

(With inputs from agencies)