Adelaide, Australia

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting said he didn’t expect India to win the BGT opener in Perth, let alone win it with a thorough margin. The visiting team headed to Australia suffering their maiden whitewash in Tests at home against New Zealand; with the chips already down, most fans and experts expected Australia to run through their XI and strike the first blow. However, destiny had other plans, and India now leads the five-match series 1-0.

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Ponting, who was in Jeddah for the IPL 2025 mega auction, commented on Team India’s performance at the Optus Stadium, saying they are a better touring side than how they perform at home. Although India had the most dominant run at home since 2012 before New Zealand crushed them last month, they are the only side to beat Australia in Down Under twice, beating them in five of the nine contested matches since the 2018 tour.

India run through Oz in Perth

India batted first in Perth, scoring a paltry 150 in the first innings. In reply, they dismissed the hosts on 104, with India captain Jasprit Bumrah returning with a five-wicket haul. India then made most of the 46-run lead, and declared after scoring 487 for six in their second inning. 

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For the touring Indian side, Yashasvi Jaiswal (161) and Virat Kohli (100*) slammed hundreds, setting Australia a daunting target of 534. Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj then reduced the home team to 12 for three at stumps on the third day before wrapping them up on 238, winning the first match by a whopping 295 runs. 

“Australia lost by what? Nearly 300 runs. So, they'll be very disappointed. Everyone asked me on day one when India won the toss about having a bat, and I said, no, absolutely, you have to bat first there. Four test matches have been played there.”

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“The team batting first has won all four times. You don't want to go against what stats say.” 

“Although they were out for 150, they still got a chance to bowl on the wicket when it was probably at its best to bowl on. And Bumrah in those conditions, and Siraj, and actually all three of them. And Nitish Reddy today, they're all very good,” Ponting said while talking on Star Sports.

“So, you've got to give them credit. I must admit, I didn't think that they could win the first Test, India, going there in Perth with conditions that are so foreign to them. But I also made a point going into the Test match that I actually think India are a better team away from home now than they are at home. I think they play foreign wickets and conditions better than they play their own conditions now. And I think that's been proven over the last week in Perth,” he added.

Meanwhile, India and Australia will square off in the second game at the Adelaide Oval (Day/Night Test) starting December 6. 

(With inputs from agencies)