Stuff of nightmares: McSweeney, Labuschagne left reeling as defeat looms

Nathan McSweeney capped a horror debut - the worst by an Australian opener in 45 years - with a second-innings duck as Marnus Labuschagne failed to bat his way out of a concerning form slump to leave Australia on the brink of a humiliating first Test defeat in Perth.

With India captain Jasprit Bumrah again the chief destroyer (2-1 from 14 balls), Australia were reduced to 3-12 by stumps on day three after being set a mammoth target of 534 for victory.

It appears a matter of when, not if, India will take a 1-0 lead in the Border-Gavaskar series and consign Australia to their first Test defeat from five appearances at Perth Stadium.

McSweeney, Australia’s new opener, was out lbw without troubling the scorers in the second innings after superb centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal (161) and Virat Kohli (100) epitomised India’s tenacious approach.

India’s declaration at 6-487 after 134.3 overs meant Australia had to survive 25 minutes in fading light. McSweeney took the first ball of the innings with Bumrah steaming in from the same end where he caused carnage on Friday.

McSweeney, who made a scratchy 10 in the first innings, let three deliveries go before the fourth cannoned into his pads. His match tally is the lowest by an Australian opener on debut since Andrew Hilditch in 1979.

Nathan McSweeney after his second innings duck against India.Credit: Getty Images

Questions over McSweeney’s ability to open the batting in Test cricket will only intensify.

Captain Pat Cummins, who’d spent all day in the field bowling and searching for answers, came in as nightwatchman but only lasted eight balls before being caught in the slips off the bowling of Mohammed Siraj.

The headaches also continued for Labuschagne, who after being warned for negative leg-side bowling earlier in the day, was out lbw for three on the final ball of play to Bumrah. It ended a woeful match that yielded just five runs across two innings.

Few could have predicted Labuschagne would bowl more overs than runs added to his tally in Perth.

The 30-year-old has now made one century in his past 41 Test innings, with his latest dismissal doing nothing to allay concerns he might not be the right man for Australia at first drop.

Labuschagne tried to leave a ball from Bumrah that nipped back sharply off the seam but completely lost his balance as Indian players celebrated around him.

“He’s as hungry as ever,” said Australian paceman Josh Hazlewood of Labuschagne after play. “They’re a pretty good attack. It can be tough to score runs at the start. You need to get through that period, and hopefully, it gets easier.”

Jasprit Bumrah and India celebrate the wicket of Marnus Labuschagne.Credit: AP

Contrastingly, the future of Indian cricket was there for all to see on Sunday as 22-year-old Jaiswal brought up a memorable maiden Test century on Australian soil.

It was a day for India’s young and old, with Kohli’s seventh Test century in Australia silencing doubters after a lean run of performances in recent years. Australia’s bowlers had no answers as Kohli picked off singles at ease and whacked boundaries to all parts of the ground.

With India already ramming home their advantage, Jaiswal added the extra 10 runs required on day three to celebrate his fourth Test hundred from 28 innings.

It was some turnaround from the duck he made on day one.

With a stunning ramp shot behind the wicket that went for six – somehow more towards fine leg than third man where it was intended – Jaiswal dropped his bat and helmet on the ground, then kissed his gloves before raising them in the air in celebration.

India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal celebrates his century.Credit: AP

After sledging Mitchell Starc for not bowling quick enough on Saturday – “It’s coming too slow” – Jaiswal went to lunch unbeaten on 141 before cutting a Mitch Marsh delivery to point on 161.

It marked the end of a magnificent innings that will earn Jaiswal the kind of respect not always afforded to visiting batsmen.

“I felt it [was slow] at that moment,” said Jaiswal when asked about his Starc sledge.

Comparisons have already been drawn to other prodigious Indian batsmen to hail from the land where cricket is a religion. It did, however, take Sachin Tendulkar three Tests (1991-92) on Australian soil to bring up triple figures.

Jaiswal’s score was the highest by an Indian batsman in Australia since Cheteshwar Pujara’s 193 in the Sydney Test of 2019. He also joined an exclusive club of 34 overseas cricketers to score a hundred in their first Test in Australia. Others include Keith Arthurton, Dwayne Bravo, Sunil Gavaskar and Jacques Kallis.

Jaiswal’s wicket prompted a mini-collapse of 3-8 as Rishabh Pant was stumped for one and Dhruv Jurel was trapped in front by Cummins for the same score.

However, Kohli steadied things for the tourists and put them in a commanding position. No team in history has chased down more than 500 to win a Test.

No touring side, across more than 50 innings, has made more than 350 against Australia since 2019.

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