India registered a commanding 295-run victory over Australia in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at Perth Stadium. Led by stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah, India wrapped up the match on day four by bowling out Australia for 238. Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj claimed three wickets each, while Harshit Rana dismissed Alex Carey to seal the win and give India a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
After opting to bat on a challenging surface, India struggled initially, managing only 150 runs. However, the visitors bounced back with Bumrah’s five-wicket haul restricting Australia to 104 in their first innings. In response, India piled on a massive 487-6 declared, thanks to centuries from Virat Kohli and Yashasvi Jaiswal, setting a daunting target of 534.
Resuming day four at 12-3, Australia quickly lost opener Usman Khawaja. Travis Head showed resistance with a knock of 89 but fell short of a century when Bumrah dismissed him. Steve Smith, returning to his preferred batting position, managed just 17 before being caught behind off Siraj. Mitchell Marsh’s 47 and lower-order efforts were not enough to save Australia from defeat.
Bumrah, leading in Rohit Sharma’s absence, was named Player of the Match for his match figures of 8-72. Reflecting on the win, Bumrah praised the team’s resilience after their initial struggles. Washington Sundar also contributed with two wickets, including the dismissal of Nathan Lyon for a duck.
India’s victory comes as a strong response to their recent 3-0 loss to New Zealand at home. The teams now head to Adelaide for the second Test, starting December 6. India has retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy since 2016-17 and aims to continue their dominance in the series.
