Pakistan(National Times)- PERTH: India fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj took three wickets apiece as the tourists hammered Australia by 295 runs in the first Test at Perth Stadium in Perth, Australia, on Monday. Australia were bowled out for 238 after tea on day four, paceman Harshit Rana wrapping up the fourth innings by clean-bowling keeper Alex Carey for 36 to secure India’s 1-0 lead in the five-match series. The last time Australia won a home series after losing the opening Test was 55 years ago against West Indies. “Fairly disappointing,” said Australia captain Pat Cummins. “It was just one of those games where not much went right. We didn’t really give ourselves a chance in a few different facets … so there’s a few different areas we’ve got to clean up.” After electing to bat on a seaming first day, India were all out for 150 before fighting back to dismiss Australia for 104 courtesy of a Bumrah five-fer. Dual centurions Virat Kohli and Yashasvi Jaiswal lifted the tourists to 487-6 declared, setting a massive fourth-innings target of 534 for the hosts.
‘Less Spicy’
Resuming day four on 12-3, the hosts quickly lost Usman Khawaja (four) after the opener mistimed Siraj (3-51) to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant. Rana (1-69) bowled with fire, temporarily immobilising Steve Smith with a rib-tickler and getting Travis Head jumping as the pair added 62. Steve Smith, returning to his favoured number four position after an ill-fated opening experiment, fell caught-behind on 17 to Siraj. Head crunched boundaries aplenty on his way to his 89 but fell shy of an eighth Test ton when he edged to Pant off Bumrah (3-42), who picked up eight wickets for the match. Bumrah was captaining the side in place of Rohit Sharma, who missed the match as he recently welcomed his second child but has since rejoined the squad. “Very happy with the beginning, we were put under pressure in the first innings but the way we responded after that, I’m really proud of the team,” said Bumrah, who was named Player of the Match for his 8-72 over both innings. “Obviously, this wicket was a little less spicy than the last one that I played here, but we were really well prepared. “So I was just telling everyone to have faith in their process and ability, because over here at this moment, you have an opportunity to do something special.” Mitchell Marsh put up 47 before chopping debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy onto his stumps, and Dhrev Jurel showed off his reflexes at short-leg to catch Mitchell Starc (12) off Washington Sundar (2-48) before tea. Washington bowled his Australia spin counterpart Nathan Lyon after the break for a duck as India marched towards a welcome victory, which comes after they were humbled 3-0 at home by New Zealand earlier this month. Tailender Josh Hazlewood remained unbeaten on four. India have held the Border-Gavaskar Trophy since 2016-17. The series moves to Adelaide for the second Test starting on December 6.
