Australia left reeling as India turn small total and DRS drama into day one supremacy

A day that began with an Indian collapse and DRS drama ended with Australia in tatters and the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy a chance of finishing inside two days following a dismal batting performance from the home side.

India’s first innings total of 150, after winning the toss and batting, was their equal-worst in Australia in the first innings of a match but quickly looked more than sufficient as Australia stumbled to 7-67 at the end of a remarkable day of Test cricket.

Australia might have passed its worst first innings total on home soil - a score of 42 all out against England in 1888 - but has only made under 80 on one other occasion since 1936. The home side’s batters looked completely bereft of answers on a memorable afternoon for an Indian side playing with a point to prove following their recent 3-0 series defeat at the hands of New Zealand.

India’s spearhead fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah gave debutant Nathan McSweeney a brutal introduction to Test cricket by removing him LBW for a patchy 10 before Usman Khawaja (eight) and Steve Smith (golden duck) perished during a spell of bowling as good as any seen on Australian shores.

Josh Hazlewood’s earlier haul of 4-29 from 13 overs, including the prized wicket of Virat Kohli for five, was overshadowed by Bumrah’s magic late in the day which also saw Travis Head (11), Mitch Marsh (6) and Marnus Labuschagne (2 from 52 balls) exposed in a grim 27-over stint before stumps.

Jasprit Bumrah takes the prized wicket of Steve Smith. Credit: AP

Bumrah, whose unorthodox action again caused major problems for Australia’s wobbly top order, ended day one with figures of 4-17 to round out a day when 17 wickets fell - two more than on the opening day of the two-day Test at the Gabba in 2022. Bumrah was borderline unplayable, attacking the stumps and making Test stalwarts look clueless.

“A lot of good balls and obviously a fair bit in the wicket,” said Mitchell Starc, who was not out on six alongside Alex Carey (19) at the end of a chaotic opening day. “There was a bit of swing, some sideways movement and some good pace and carry. The game is very much in fast forward. I think both teams bowled fairly well today.

“We’ll come out tomorrow and try and get as close to that total as we can. But you’re allowed to bowl good balls, and both teams did that today. There’s some cracks out there. So I wouldn’t imagine [it will settle down].”

Earlier, India’s quest to conquer Australia again on their own turf began inauspiciously.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, the tourists were bowled out for 150 just before tea at Perth Stadium despite some audacious strokeplay from Rishabh Pant.

Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and No.3 Devdutt Padikkal both failed to score in their first Test innings in Australia.

Having earlier been presented with his first baggy green cap by former Test coach Darren Lehmann, McSweeney needed just 13 balls to get into the action by taking a comfortable catch at gully off the bowling of Starc to remove Jaiswal.

India’s young prodigy, coming into the series with a Test average of 56.28, went hard at a ball outside his off stump but was unable to control it.

Starc and Hazlewood (both 2-10 off eight overs) were brilliant in the opening session on a bouncy Perth pitch, with the latter removing Padikkal after a miserable 39-minute stay at the crease.

Padikkal’s dismissal brought Kohli to the crease at 2-14, a situation which was far from ideal for the Indian superstar given his woes of late. Kohli has been a shade of his former self in the last five years, making just two centuries.

Australia celebrate after Josh Hazlewood’s dismissal of Virat Kohli.Credit: AP

Hazlewood worked Kohli over before India’s most dangerous batter guided a rising delivery to Usman Khawaja at first slip to depart for five from 12 balls.

Kohli’s premature departure left India reeling at 3-32, and their predicament worsened when Rahul was adjudged caught behind for 26.

Australia thought Rahul had nicked a delivery from Starc, but it was initially given not out. The home side immediately referred the decision upstairs, and it was duly overturned after video replay service snicko showed a spike as the ball went past the bat.

Rahul, however, clearly felt the bat had hit his pad on the way through, and the decision left him visibly upset as he walked from the field shaking his head after appearing to remonstrate in the umpires’ direction.

Initial replays on the broadcast did not show footage of the ball going past the bat, raising questions as to whether snicko had picked up the sound of bat hitting pad. Hotspot no longer exists, with broadcasters using snicko and providing replays to the third umpire to make decisions.

“The umpire is looking for conclusive evidence and there were a few gremlins … where he didn’t get a few camera angles that he wanted,” said former Test umpire Simon Taufel on Channel 7. “In my view, the ball does graze the outside edge. With that side on shot, there was a spike with the bat away from the pad.”