New Delhi: India slumped to their joint-lowest in the first innings in Australia as the visitors were bundled out for a paltry 150 in 49.4 overs on Day 1 of the first Border-Gavaskar Test at the Optus Stadium in Perth. The 48-run partnership between debutant Nitish Reddy and Rishabh Pant was the only time India looked comfortable on the bouncy track.
Nitish’s courageous knock of 41 and Rishabh Pant’s 37 off 78 deliveries were the only two positives in an otherwise dismal batting performance.
Opting to bat first, India could last only two sessions as the Australian pace attack, led by the impeccable Josh Hazlewood (4 for 29), skittled the visitors on the stroke of Tea.
Pant briefly threatened the Australians during his stay at the crease, which also included an audacious no-look six over backward square leg off Pat Cummins. The left-handed batter, though, couldn’t capitalise on the start and fell playing a cross-batted shot, losing his wicket to Cummins for the first time in his career.
Aussie pacers bounce India out
Indian batters were troubled by Aussie pacers’ extra bounce and seam movement as Mitchell Starc (2/14 in 11 overs) Hazlewood wreaked havoc with the new ball.
Skipper Cummins, who was wicketless in his first 13 overs finished with figures of 2/67 in 15.4 overs.
Pant and Reddy had put Nathan Lyon out of the attack with a pair of reverse sweeps. The iconic off-spinner went wicketless in the opening innings and it was the Aussie pacers who did all the damage.
KL Rahul (26 off 74 balls) applied himself before getting out in controversial fashion while young guns Yashasvi Jaiswal (0) and Devdutt Padikkal (0) looked completely out of place against the new ball. Virat Kohli (5), hyped by the Australian media ahead of the series, looked completely out of sorts. The Delhi dasher who has an impeccable record on Australian shores was undone by a short ball from Hazlewood.
Dhruv Jurel and Washington Sundar were dismissed by Mitchell Marsh as the Australian all-rounder reaped the rewards of the pressure created by the frontline pace bowlers.
Indian cricket team vs Australian cricket team: Team India suffer batting collapse to be bundled out for just 150 runs in the first innings of the first Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test in Perth. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
