India have taken a 1-0 lead in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 after registering a big 295-run win against Australia on Day 4 of the opening Test match at the Optus Stadium in Perth on Monday. (Day 4 Highlights | More Cricket News)
India achieved their largest victory in Australia with a 295-run margin. Their biggest Test win against Australia came in Mohali back in 2008 when India won the match by 320 runs.
The Men in Blue have never lost a Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) series after winning the first Test match of the series. With India currently leading the series 1-0, their chances of retaining the BGT look promising.
But it was not easy for the Jasprit Bumrah and his men when India were bundled out for just 150 runs on the opening day. Batting first, India lost their 10 wickets in the first inning within 50 overs.
But Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj rattled the Australian batting order with their pace and accuracy. India managed to get seven wickets on Day 1 and eventually restricted the hosts to 104 runs and also took a 46-run lead in the match.
Bumrah took his second five-wicket haul in Australia and the 11th in Test cricket. He went on to take three more wickets in the second innings and was awarded the Player of the Match award for his brilliant bowling figures of 8/72 in the match. He has taken 40 wickets in eight Test matches he has played in Australia.
Batting on Day 2 looked comparatively easier as the wicket settled in. Yashasvi Jaiswal, playing his first Test match in Australia, looked good and managed to add 172 runs with the veteran batter KL Rahul. The opening duo remained unbeaten on Day 2.
Jaiswal completed his fourth Test hundred on Day 3 and went on to score 161 runs which is also his fourth 150-plus knock in his short career. He also joined the legendary Sunil Gavaskar on the list of Indians who hit a century in their first Test match in Australia.
His opening partner, KL Rahul looked calm and composed in both the innings. He was leaving the balls with elegance and his brilliant defence knocked down all the questions which were asked about his form before the start of the series. He missed a well-deserving ton by 23 runs in the second inning.
But Virat Kohli took the opportunity with both hands and hit his 81st international and 30th Test century which also helped him surpass Sir Don Bradman in the all-time list. He made 100 not out in 143 balls.
Debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy, who was the highest run-scorer for India in the first inning with 41 runs, added a quick 38 runs off just 27 balls in the second inning. He also picked his maiden Test wicket in the match when he dismissed the set batter Mitch Marsh on Day 4.
Bumrah declared the second inning when India were 487/6 and asked Australia to chase down the target of 534 runs.
Only five overs of play were left on Day 3 when the Indian captain opened the bowling attack and dismissed the Australian debutant Nathan MacSweeney in the first over.
Pat Cummins came as 'Night Watchman' but he was caught behind on Mohammed Siraj's delivery. Marnus Labuschagne came next and Bumrah dismissed him LBW in the last over of the day's play.
India needed seven wickets and Australia needed 522 runs to win the match when Day 4 started on Monday. Usman Khawaja and Steven Smith were dismissed early by Siraj but Travis Head and Mitch Marsh added 82 runs for the sixth wicket.
Bumrah broke the partnership in the 39th over when he came back for his second spell of the day. Head made a quick 89 off 101 balls which included eight boundaries.
Alex Carey was the last wicket to fall as debutant Harshit Rana picked his first wicket in the second inning. He took three wickets in the first inning also and looked confident while playing his first international game.
Now, the Indian team will move to Adelaide where the second Test match starts on December 6. With Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill back in the squad, it will be a good headache for the team management to choose the playing XI of the next Test match.
