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Hello and welcome to Guerilla Cricket’s live blog of the Test series opener between India and Australia.
India take a 1-0 series lead in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after a jumbo 295-run win over Australia in the first Test of the five-match series in Perth.
The visitors needed two wickets in the final session of Day 4 and it took them merely five overs to complete the proceedings. The win also brought an end to Australia’s unbeaten streak since 2018 at the Optus Stadium. India have bounced back admirably from their 3-0 series defeat to New Zealand last month, especially with two key players missing – captain Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill.
Australia, who were 12/3 overnight, headed into Day 4 requiring an improbable 510 runs. However, a bit more misery was in store as Mohammed Siraj bounced out Usman Khawaja.
Travis Head (89) then registered a 62-run stand with Steve Smith and followed it up with an 82-run stand with Mitchell Marsh (47). Head went for his shots despite the variable bounce and it took a remarkable set-up from Jasprit Bumrah to deny him a century.
Steve Smith grappled with a Catch 22 while Marsh played on off Nitish Reddy. Mitchell Starc fell to a wonderful grab by Dhruv Jurel at forward short leg on the stroke of Tea.
Nathan Lyon departed for a duck, playing inside the line of a straight one by Washington Sundar. Alex Carey hung around for a while to score 36 before Harshit Rana disturbed his woodwork, the wicket sealing the win for the visitors shortly after the Tea break.
Having reinforced India’s totals with his enterprising knocks lower down the order, Nitish Reddy has started brilliantly with the ball in the second innings. Introduced in the 42nd over, the first ball of his spell whooshed past Marsh from a good length, almost finding the edge. He then threatened the outside edge of Alex Carey with the penultimate ball of the over.
Marsh eventually falls victim to India’s fourth seamer, and it’s the sort of dismissal you often see on a pitch with variable bounce. Back of a length outside off, width on offer for Marsh who fancies a cut but the ball keeps a tad low. Thick under-edge ricochets onto the stumps. Maiden Test wicket for the debutant, and it’s a crucial one as Marsh walks back three shy of a fifty.
Harshit Rana and Washington Sundar had conceded 50 in eight overs after Lunch and India’s command over the contest was loosening ever so slightly when Bumrah returned to work his magic over the rampaging Head.
The plan was straightforward. India made out that the left-hander was ill at ease against full balls that didn’t have width. Bumrah, bowling from round the wicket, totally cut out the off-side by depriving Head of any room to free his arms. Head mistimed a couple, grew itchy.
Then he pushed him back with a bumper to keep him guessing. Next up came the sucker punch – a length delivery with a hint of width to lull him into a loose shot. His eyes lit up, Head thought he could release the pressure with the back foot drive but this one jagged away with some bounce to graze the outside edge. Incredible observation, planning and plotting, and execution to boot from India.
Head perishes for 89, and Australia are 161/6.
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Mitchell Marsh picks the bones out of a short delivery from Harshit Rana but the ball is hit straight in the direction of Devdutt Padikkal at short mid-wicket. The catch was within his grasp, just above the head level, but the sheer pace with which the ball was travelling was too hot to handle for the fielder. Fingertips on the ball but it would go down as a chance because at the international level, those should be converted.
A couple of wickets for India this morning as they stride towards victory in Perth. Travis Head has taken refuge in his see-ball hit-ball mentality on a pitch with variable bounce, with the reasoning being that if a ball keeps low and gets him out, so be it.
He has punished width, and unfurled his strokes with trademark conviction. There has been a modicum of support, though. In order to keep the shooter at bay, Steve Smith made an adjustment from the first innings as he was significantly still at the crease rather than having the usual back-and-across trigger. However, it left him vulnerable to the outside edge, and Mohammad Siraj had him nicking as he probed in the channel.
Siraj has been on the money today. Has kept banging away on a back of a length while attacking the stumps versus the right-hander, looking to exploit the unevenness on offer. He picked up both wickets to fall in the session, starting with one that reared up on Usman Khawaja, and then managed to get the big fish Smith caught-behind.
Big wicket for India!
Siraj with a beauty! #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/NEJykx9Avj
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 25, 2024
As soon as Virat Kohli brought up his 30th Test century and 81st overall in international cricket, India declared their second innings at 487/6, setting a formidable target of 534 for Australia. Yashasvi Jaiswal also scored his fourth Test century during the day, finishing on 161.
Kohli then registered an 89-run partnership with Washington Sundar and a quickfire 77-run partnership in just 8.4 overs with Nitish Kumar Reddy. The icing on the cake? Three wickets in the final 27 minutes of the day which left Australia tottering at 12 for 3 at Stumps.
India must win the ongoing Border Gavaskar Trophy 4-nil to qualify for the World Test Championship final and safe to say, they’re sniffing victory in the series opener. Australia have a mountain to climb tomorrow as they trail by 52 runs, but two days are left in the game so there’s still an outside chance of a comeback.
The final over of the day, the perfect finish for India #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/Pci4mZdEpW
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 24, 2024
Visiting batters with most Test hundreds in Australia
9 – Jack Hobbs
7 – Wally Hammond
7 – Virat Kohli
6 – Herbert Sutcliffe
6 – Sachin Tendulkar
This is Kohli’s 10th hundred across formats in Australia, the most by a visiting batter🥇
For the better part of the third day the message from the Indian dugout seemed to be that other batters will try and up the ante while Virat Kohli holds fort. India lost wickets in quick succession in a bid to pick up pace but Kohli has remained steadfast, and has even switched gears as he approaches another century in Australia. He just played a reverse sweep off Nathan Lyon after going downtown against the off-spinner.
Nitish Reddy is going great guns at the other end, having fetched 37 runs from 25 balls as India look to bat Australia out of the contest.
Effortless!
Kohli moves into the 90s #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/GxGEKCDjXc
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 24, 2024
India have stumbled from 275/1 to 321/5 but Virat Kohli is holding one end up, spending some much-needed time at the crease. He’s found an able ally in Washington Sundar as India endeavour to set a final-innings total that is out of Australia’s reach.
Some balls are keeping low so Kohli is not letting the scoring opportunities slide. He played an ebullient square cut up and above deep point to Starc’s short and wide tempter. The experienced campaigner is batting on 40 off 71 balls, while Washington Sundar has played an impressive lofted cover drive off Travis Head.
The much-dreaded variable bounce coming into play! Big smile on the face of Cummins, and the Indian batters wear an amused look as well. Good length ball in the channel, Kohli gets forward to defend but it scoots under his bat. Worrying signs for Australia as they will be batting last.
Australia have managed to see the back of the well-set southpaws Devdutt Padikkal and Yashasvi Jaiswal even as Virat Kohli gets his eye in. The centurion cut Mitchell Marsh fiercely straight to point. An unlucky dismissal to bring the curtains down on a marvellous knock that has set the game up nicely for India after an underwhelming first innings. Rishabh Pant joins Kohli in the middle as India lead by 362 runs.
Wonder what was for lunch?
Australia get a wicket immediately after the break #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/Kt2yIbujiN
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 24, 2024
68% of Yashasvi’s runs have come behind the wicket, with seven boundaries in the arc from third man to deep point. He’s ridden the bounce well to punch off the backfoot, punished width and employed the ramp on occasions when the pacers have dug the ball in short. His interception points have been significantly behind that of his dismissal in the first innings when he nicked off driving with hard hards.
India have progressed to 275/1 at Lunch on Day 3, leading by 321 runs. 103/1 in the first session of the moving day and India are acing the contest. The Australian attack has had an arduous toil. They hoped to push India back but the visiting batters applied themselves today as well, cashing in on pretty good batting conditions.
That'll be Lunch on Day 3 of the 1st Test.
India lose the wicket of KL Rahul (77) in the morning session.
Yashasvi Jaiswal going strong on 141* alongside Devdutt Padikkal on 25*
Scorecard – https://t.co/gTqS3UPruo… #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/9iGBFRTzCl
— BCCI (@BCCI) November 24, 2024
Having started Day 3 with a tasty lead of 218 runs, India construct an ideal first session. Although a peach of a delivery from Mitchell Starc took KL Rahul’s outside edge on 77(176), Yashasvi Jaiswal picked up from where he left to notch up three figures. He makes his mark in his very first Test in Australia, duly living up to his billing. Devdutt Padikkal has faced 50 balls for his 13 and the new ball is due shortly.
What a way to bring up the ton! #AUSvIND | #MilestoneMoment | @nrmainsurance pic.twitter.com/okMDAno5tE
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 24, 2024
Record-breaking day in Perth. As many as 17 wickets tumbled, which is the most on the first day in Australia since 1952. All the spoils were shared by the seamers who made hay on an archetypal zesty pitch. There was movement throughout, new ball or semi-new, and the pitch even seemed to quicken up as the day progressed.
India were shot out for 150 after opting to bat first, with Josh Hazlewood claiming a four-fer. That they reached that figure was thanks to some enterprising batsmanship from Rishabh Pant and debutant Nitish Reddy as they shared a 48-run stand for the seventh wicket. India’s total may have seemed under-par at that moment but perceptions shifted once Australia started falling like a pack of cards facing Jasprit Bumrah.
Australia’s top-order buckled under his fiery spell, and the hosts didn’t get much respite even after that opening salvo as Harshit Rana and Mohammed Siraj exploited the conditions well. Scarcely believable, but even after folding for 150, India have finished the day right on top.
What a way to get your maiden Test wicket! ⚡️#DeliveredwithSpeed | #AUSvIND | @NBN_Australia pic.twitter.com/IkykgwUEWW
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 22, 2024
That’s Lunch on the opening day of the series, and India are knee deep in trouble. Some outstanding bowling from Australia resulted in a 23-ball duck for Devdutt Padikkal and another low score for Virat Kohli. A debatable DRS moment sent KL Rahul, who was holding one end for the visitors, packing. Mitchell Starc set the tone early and Hazlewood was equally brilliant. Will Pant try to counter-attack after the break, like he usually does when the opposition is on top?
Extra bounce from Hazlewood – Kohli's back in the sheds for five #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/6M5DjgOqrV
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 22, 2024
