By Ashok Kumar and ESPN
India 150 (Hazlewood 4-29) and 487 for 6 dec (Jaiswal 161, Kohli 100*, Rahul 77) beat Australia 104 (Bumrah 5-30) and 238 (Head 89, Bumrah 3-42, Siraj 3-51) by 295 runs
Yashasvi Jaiswal joins Hanumant Singh and Gundappa Vishwanath to score a century after getting out on 0 in the first innings of the Test match albeit the legendary batsmen did so in their debut Test match against England and Australia, respectively.
Though the list century makers on debut is very long that includes, AG Kripal Singh, Lala Amarnath, Surinder Amarnath, Mohammad Azharuddin and Sourav Ganguly. Mohammad Azharuddin is the other batsman who scored zero and a century. Abbas Ali Baig is the another batsman who scored 112 on debut against England in 1959 in England.
(0 and 137)
Jaiswal scored century in the fist Test against Australia at Perth that was followed by former skipper Virat Kohli who scored his 30th century soon after which skipper Bumrah declared the innings setting a target of 534 for victory. Australia lost three quick wickets for just 12 runs at close on the third day.
There were no miracles on the fourth day though some scares from the flourishing fifth wicket partnership but all fizzled out once dangerman Steve Smith was sent back by Siraj as fifth wicket but still Trevor Head was going strong. Bumrah came back into the attack and snapped up Head to a sharp delivery and Rishabh took a diving catch, both the bowlers claimed 3 wickets each.
Later, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy mopped up the remaining wickets to give India stunning victory in the First Test on a fast paced Perth wicket. India go 1-0 up in the five Test match series.
It was a memorable performance from India, who drew on a heroic effort from stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah. He claimed eight wickets for the match, while Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli produced outstanding centuries in India’s second innings to decimate a flagging Australia.
India had largely been written off after an unprecedented 3-0 home whitewash against New Zealand. They entered the series-opener without having played an official match on tour and were shorthanded without captain Rohit Sharma and injured batter Shubman Gill.
Under intense pressure, coach Gautam Gambhir made the right moves and the brave selection calls, which included veteran spinners R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja being left out, were vindicated.
Bumrah, particularly, deserves a lot of credit for galvanising a new-look team and he led from the front with a mesmerising spell late on day one to haul India back into the match after they had been bundled out for 150 having won the toss.
There is set to be recriminations for Australia, who underwhelmed in their first Test since March’s New Zealand tour. There will be questions raised over the limited preparations of a number of players.
Australia’s misfiring top-order will be particularly under the spotlight, especially No. 3 Marnus Labuschagne who scored 5 runs in the match to continue a lengthy form slump.
Having started so well on the opening day, Australia’s bowling wilted in India’s second innings with captain Pat Cummins enduring a rare off match. Cummins had not played a red-ball match since March, preferring his series build-up through three 50-over games in the lead-up, and he finished with the modest match figures of 3 for 153 from 40.4 overs.
Australia appeared flummoxed with the changing conditions of the pitch, which was spicy on day one before flattening out for most of day two and three. Cracks did widen as the match wore on and created up-and-down bounce to make batting difficult on the fourth day.
Resuming at 12 for 3, after a disastrous start amid the shadows late on day three, Australia confronted an India attack eyeing to finish things off quickly.
Australia’s hopes of chasing down a record 534 runs were forlorn but they aimed to at least muster some spirit which had seemingly been broken over the last couple of days.
After a golden duck in the first innings, having returned to his favoured No. 4 position, Steven Smith fronted up to his nemesis Bumrah, who on the first ball of the day’s play had a loud lbw appeal turned down although in an anti-climax it was a no-ball.
