India emerge victorious in the series opener by crushing Australia.
India secured a convincing victory over Australia in the First Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy held in Perth, Australia. The match held, between November 22-25, 2024, marked a phenomenal opening encounter for India, with the team securing a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
India bowled out for a paltry 150 in the first innings, bounced back, and stunned the opposition with their incredible follow-up bowling and batting in the rest of the match to demolish Australia and mark an ecstatic moment in this series. Jasprit Bumrah, the stand-in captain for this match, delivered an incredible performance, leading the side by example from the front.
Match Highlights and Key Performances:
- First Innings:
. India – 150 all out
. Australia – 104 all out
- Second Innings:
. India – 487/6 declared
. Australia – 238 all out
- Result: India Won By 295 Runs.
India after declaring in their second innings at 487/6, set a target of 535 runs which is one of the highest ever set in Test Cricket History. Australia was ultimately bowled out for 238 runs, unable to pose any substantial challenge to the Indian bowlers. Yashasvi Jaiswal in the second innings, plundered the Aussie bowling lineup, scoring 161 runs. Virat Kohli finally found his magical touch, while scoring an unbeatable century. With this, he reached a personal milestone of 30 test centuries. In the second innings, Indian bowlers excelled, with Jasprit Bumrah leading the attack and scalping breakthroughs at regular intervals. Bumrah took a total of 8 wickets for 72 runs across both the innings, including a fiver in the first innings. In the second innings, Bumrah added another 3 wickets to his kitty, which paved the way towards the dismantling of the Aussie batting lineup.
Jasprit Bumrah’s Leadership Traits:
- Jasprit Bumrah, leading the side in the absence of captain Rohit Sharma, demonstrated astute leadership qualities. He made strategic decisions at frequent intervals that set the tone and tenor of the Indian game plan and motivated the younger players to perform under pressure during crunch times.
- Jasprit Bumrah’s emphasis on preparation, relying on natural strengths rather than focusing on the Aussie batting lineup, showcased his tactical abilities.
- His all-round performance earned him the “Player of the Match” further establishing his status as one of the premier fast bowlers in India at the moment.
Strategic Mindset and Upcoming Matches:
Having tasted first blood in the ongoing series, India still needs to cover a substantial ground to mark their dominion down under. India’s most recent encounters in the last few years have been relatively successful, ending victorious in the 2018-19 and 2020-21 series. India has to manage the bench strength aptly to counter the Australian rebound in the upcoming matches. It is imperative to manage the workload of the younger players and use Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja for their experience and ability to win matches. In an outing, that can be considered blotless, India still conceded extras in the form of 15 no-balls and 6 wides throughout the game. With Rohit Sharma, returning to the helm from the next match, India will look forward to their twin challenges.
Upcoming Matches:
- Second Test – December 6-10, Adelaide, Starting at 9.30 AM IST
- Third Test – December 14-18, Brisbane, Starting at 5:50 AM IST
- Fourth Test – December 26-30, Melbourne, Starting at 5:00 AM IST
- Fifth Test – January 03-07, Sydney, Starting at 5:00 AM IST
Let us all hope the upcoming matches bring with them a cricketing sojourn like no other and enthusiasts and fans witness games that redefine the sport.