1st Test: Jasprit Bumrah's India breach Perth fortress, outclass ...

Border-Gavaskar Trophy: India became the first team to beat Australia at Perth's Optus Stadium as the Jasprit Bumrah-led side secured a historic 295-run win in the first Test of the five-match series. This is India's largest-ever Test win in Australia.

India register famous Perth Test win over clueless Australia (AP Photo)

Pat Cummins's Australia have had a knack for delivering knockout punches to India on the grandest stages. Remember the WTC Final triumph at the Oval or silencing over a lakh Indian fans in Ahmedabad during the 2023 ODI World Cup final? This time, though, it was Jasprit Bumrah's turn to flip the script—and what a statement his side made in Perth! Bumrah's India hammered the Australians at their Optus fortress, handing them their first-ever defeat at the venue with a 295-run win in the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. After setting a mammoth 534-run target, India bowled Australia out for 238 to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

India stormed back to the top of the World Test Championship (WTC) standings with 61.11 percentage points after Perth win. As for the margin, this victory is India's biggest ever, surpassing their previous record of 222 runs, set back in 1978 in Sydney when Australia fielded a weakened side amidst the mass exodus for the Kerry Packer World Series. A history-defining win, in more ways than one!

Who would have thought this comeback was on the cards after India’s dramatic collapse on Day 1? Bowled out for a mere 150, it seemed like the script was written for another Australian steamroll. But, as they say, there's something magical in the Australian air—or water—that transforms India. It was a showcase of every sporting cliché done right: audacious bounce backability, unwavering team spirit, a defiant never-say-die attitude, and self-belief that defies logic.

AUS vs IND, 1st Test: Day 4 Highlights | Scorecard

India delivered a performance for the ages, spearheaded by stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrah. With eight wickets across the match and stellar centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli in the second innings, India demolished a faltering Australia. This isn't just a win; it's India's largest Test victory by runs on foreign soil. Only once before has a team won by a bigger margin after being dismissed for 150 or fewer in the first innings-West Indies, against Australia in Bridgetown, 1991.

Coming off a shocking 3-0 home whitewash against New Zealand, India arrived underprepared and undermanned, missing skipper Rohit Sharma and an injured Shubman Gill. Yet, under intense scrutiny, coach Gautam Gambhir’s bold calls—including benching spin stalwarts R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja—paid off spectacularly. Bumrah was the beating heart of this triumph. His fiery late-day-one spell turned the tide after India’s dismal 150-run collapse on a winning toss. His leadership electrified a revamped squad, proving that the right spark can ignite even the toughest challenges.

Skipper Jasprit Bumrah (3/42) and Mohammed Siraj (3/54) led the charge on the fourth day, with Washington Sundar and Nitish Reddy providing crucial support by claiming a wicket each. India had set Australia an imposing target of 534 runs on day three. Starting the day at 12 for 3, chasing 534, it seemed only a matter of time before Australia would capitulate, and they eventually did, despite a spirited 89 from Travis Head that only delayed the inevitable.

In contrast to the previous two tours where India began in Adelaide, known for its batting-friendly conditions, Australia opted to start the series on the bounciest pitch in the country. The move worked initially, but only for a session and a half before it backfired. While Australia had hoped to exploit India's vulnerabilities, they also gambled on their own underperforming batting lineup. Key players like Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne have struggled with form for some time, and the decision to bring in rookie Nathan McSweeney, who is untested and not an opener, highlighted Australia's own transition phase—one that could prove even more challenging than India's.

By the third evening, Josh Hazlewood had seemingly given up, and it wouldn't be surprising if the Australian team management opts for flatter pitches in future matches to negate Bumrah’s threat. However, Bumrah, a bowler who can tighten the noose under any conditions, continued to dominate. On the fourth afternoon, Bumrah produced what could be considered the best of his eight wickets in the match, dismissing Head, who had been battling hard. Pitched on length, the ball climbed unexpectedly, catching the outside edge of Head’s bat and ending Australia's resistance.

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