PERTH: In a gripping start to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, India faced a challenging day against Australia at the Optus Stadium in Perth. After winning the toss, Indian captain Jasprit Bumrah opted to bat first, but the decision quickly backfired as India struggled to find their footing. The team was bowled out for a mere 150 runs in just 49.4 overs.
The Indian batting lineup faltered early, with both Yashasvi Jaiswal and Devdutt Padikkal dismissed without scoring. Virat Kohli also fell victim to Josh Hazlewood’s extra bounce, leaving India reeling at 19/3.
KL Rahul provided some resistance with a gritty 26 runs off 74 balls, but his dismissal sparked a collapse that saw India lose wickets at regular intervals.
Debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy emerged as a bright spot for India, scoring 41 runs and forming a crucial partnership of 48 runs with Rishabh Pant, who contributed 37 runs.
However, their efforts were not enough to save the innings as Australia’s bowlers dominated throughout the day. Hazlewood was particularly impressive, claiming four wickets for just 10 runs.
In response, Australia began their innings under pressure after Bumrah’s sensational opening spell that saw him take three wickets early on. By the end of Day 1, Australia found themselves at 59/7, with Bumrah leading the charge for India.
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