India crush Australia in first Test

Agency :

India ran riot to win the opening Test in Perth by a crushing 295 runs on Monday and leave Australia shell-shocked and searching for answers.

Set a mountainous 534 for victory, the world’s top-ranked Test team crumbled to 238 all out in the final session on day four.

A counter-punching Travis Head made a gritty 89 while Mitchell Marsh chipped in with 47.
But it was never going to be enough against an inspired attack led by the irrepressible Jasprit Bumrah, who took 3-42 to claim eight wickets in the match.

He was ably supported by Mohammed Siraj with 3-51.
“Very happy. We were put under pressure in the first innings but the way we responded was great,” said stand-in skipper Bumrah.

“We were really well prepared. I told everyone to keep faith in your ability.”
It was an astonishing turnaround for India, who arrived in Australia on the back of a humiliating 3-0 home series defeat to New Zealand.

Given little hope of defending the Border-Gavaskar Trophy they have held since 2017, they now head to the second day-night Test in Adelaide next week with a big psychological advantage and boosted by the return of skipper Rohit Sharma.

The emphatic victory was only India’s second in Perth and first since their triumph at the WACA Ground back in 2008.

“Fairly disappointing. Prep was good, all firing, fair bit to look at as lots didn’t go right,” said Australia Captain Pat Cummins.

“You want to get back on the horse but we will take a couple of days’ rest and get training in Adelaide.

“We didn’t give ourselves a chance in a few different facets, like the finish on day one with the bat.”