India stunned Australia in Perth to take a 1-0 lead in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy

The match ended quickly in the final session on the fourth day, with India needing just five overs to claim Australia’s last two wickets. Washington Sundar dropped Nathan Lyon for a duck and debutant Harshit Rana sealed victory by dismissing Alex Carey for 36, leaving Australia 238 all out in their chase of 510.

Indian determination despite a rough start

India’s first innings was far from ideal as they were bowled out for a paltry 150. Josh Hazlewood wreaked havoc with figures of 4/29 while debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy fought bravely with 41 runs on his first appearance. Rishabh Pant contributed 37 and KL Rahul showed resilience before being controversially dismissed.

However, India’s bowlers turned the tide under Perth’s fading light. Jasprit Bumrah (3/30) put up a stunning fightback, claiming the prized wicket of Steve Smith for a golden duck. Debutant Harshit Rana (1/16) and Mohammed Siraj chipped in, bundling Australia out for 104 and giving India a slim lead of 46 runs.

Jaiswal and Kohli shine in the second innings

India capitalized on their narrow lead with some brilliant batting in the second innings. Yashasvi Jaiswal, who had been dismissed earlier for a duck, redeemed himself with a stellar 161, his fourth Test century. Along with KL Rahul (77), Jaiswal put together a massive opening partnership of 201.

Virat Kohli then piled on the misery for Australia with his 30th Test hundred, finishing unbeaten on 100. India posted 487/6, setting Australia an imposing target of 510 runs.

Australia is collapsing under pressure

Australia faced a daunting task and made a disastrous start to their chase, losing three quick wickets late on Day 3. Nathan McSweeney’s memorable debut ended with a duck, while Marnus Labuschagne fell LBW to an inswinger.

Despite valiant efforts from Travis Head (89) and Mitchell Marsh (47), Australia’s batsmen faltered against India’s relentless bowling. Bumrah (3/42) and Siraj (3/51) were instrumental in breaking the Australian line-up.

Key Performances and Looking Ahead

• 
  Jasprit Bumrah: The spearhead of the Indian attack, Bumrah’s nine wickets in the match were crucial to the team’s success.
• 
  Yashasvi Jaiswal: He redeemed himself with an incredible 161 after his first innings failure.
• 
  Nitish Kumar Reddy: Showed promise on debut with a crucial 41 in challenging conditions.
• 
  Harshit Rana: A memorable debut with four crucial wickets in both innings.

India’s convincing win in Perth sets the tone for the rest of the five-match series, with the visitors now brimming with confidence. Australia will need to regroup quickly as the action shifts to Adelaide for the second Test.

Short ratings:

• India 150 (Nitish Kumar Reddy 41, Rishabh Pant 37; Josh Hazlewood 4/29) & 487/6 decl. (Yashasvi Jaiswal 161, Virat Kohli 100*; Nathan Lyon 2/96)
• Australia 104 (Mitchell Starc 26; Jasprit Bumrah 5/30) & 238 (Travis Head 89; Bumrah 3/42, Siraj 3/51)

India won by 295 runs