Bumrah leads India's fightback after collapse in Perth
By stumps on 21 november, Australia were struggling at 67/7, trailing India by 83 runs.
India found themselves on the back foot early in the first Test in Perth as they were bowled out for 150 on the opening day, but captain Jasprit Bumrah delivered a sensational bowling display to keep the contest alive.
By stumps on 21 november, Australia were struggling at 67/7, trailing India by 83 runs.
Bumrah ignited the fightback with a fiery spell, claiming four crucial wickets to dismantle Australia's batting line-up. The pacer struck early, removing debutant opener McSweeney for 10, before sending Steve Smith (0) and Usman Khawaja (8) back to the pavilion in successive deliveries.
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India's debutant Harshit Rana added to the pressure with a remarkable delivery that bowled Travis Head (11), earning him his maiden Test wicket. Mohammed Siraj further tightened the screws, taking two key scalps – Mitchell Marsh (6) and Alex Carey (8). Bumrah rounded off the day by dismissing Pat Cummins, whose edge was neatly caught by Rishabh Pant behind the stumps.
Australia's collapse marked only the second instance since 1980 where they lost their first five wickets in a home Test innings before reaching 40 runs. The last such occasion was in Hobart against South Africa in 2016, when they were reeling at 17/5.
Earlier in the day, India's decision to bat first backfired as their batting line-up crumbled under pressure. The innings began disastrously, with openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Devdutt Padikkal dismissed for ducks. Virat Kohli followed shortly, managing just 5 runs, while KL Rahul top-scored with a cautious 26 off 74 balls.
Debutant Nitish Reddy was the lone bright spot for India, showing resilience to score 41 runs off 59 balls, including six fours and a six. However, his efforts were not enough to lift the total significantly. Dhruv Jurel (11), Washington Sundar (4), Harshit Rana (7), and Jasprit Bumrah (8) all fell cheaply.
Australia's pace attack was ruthless, with Josh Hazlewood leading the charge, taking 4 wickets. Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Mitchell Marsh chipped in with two wickets each, ensuring India's innings ended prematurely.
As the second day approaches, Bumrah and his bowlers will look to capitalise on their strong start to give India a chance of turning the match around. For Australia, their lower order will need to battle hard to bridge the gap and set up a competitive game in challenging conditions.
