The much-anticipated India tour of Australia kicked off with a thrilling opening day of the first Test match, as the visitors established a commanding position at stumps.
India bundled out for 150 in their first innings but made a remarkable comeback, leaving Australia reeling at 67/7 by the end of Day 1.
Opting to bat first, India faced early challenges from the Australian pace attack, with Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc dismantling the top order.
Contributions from skipper Rohit Sharma (36) and Ravindra Jadeja (42) helped India post a modest total of 150 on a challenging Gabba wicket.
Starc led the Australian bowling figures with 4/37, supported by Boland’s disciplined spell of 3/28.
However, the Indian bowlers turned the tables in the final session with a fiery display of fast bowling.
Jasprit Bumrah was the standout performer, delivering an exceptional spell of 4/17 in 10 overs, dismantling Australia’s top order. Mohammed Siraj and Ravichandran Ashwin also chipped in with crucial wickets, ensuring consistent pressure on the Australian batting lineup.
At stumps, Australia trails by 83 runs with Alex Carey (19*) and Mitchell Starc (6*) at the crease, fighting to salvage the innings.
With seven wickets down, the hosts face an uphill battle on Day 2 against a confident Indian bowling attack.
Speaking after the day’s play, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma praised the team’s bowling effort: “Our bowlers showed tremendous discipline and character. We’ll aim to build on this momentum tomorrow.”
Day 2 promises to be an exhilarating contest as India looks to extend their dominance while Australia will hope for a rearguard action to close the gap.
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