India crush Australia in first Test to silence critics

PERTH: India ran riot to win the opening Test in Perth by a crushing 295 runs on Monday and leave Australia shellshocked and searching for answers.

Set a mountainous 534 for victory, the world´s top-ranked Test team crumbled to 238 all out in the final session on day four. A counter-punching Travis Head made a gritty 89 while Mitchell Marsh chipped in with 47.

But it was never going to be enough against an inspired attack led by the irrepressible Jasprit Bumrah, who took 3-42 to claim eight wickets in the match. He was ably supported by Mohammed Siraj with 3-51.

"Very happy. We were put under pressure in the first innings but the way we responded was great," said stand-in skipper Bumrah. "We were really well prepared. I told everyone to keep faith in your ability."

It was an astonishing turnaround for India, who arrived in Australia on the back of a humiliating 3-0 home series defeat to New Zealand. Given little hope of defending the Border-Gavaskar Trophy they have held since 2017, they now head to the second day-night Test in Adelaide next week with a big psychological advantage and boosted by the return of skipper Rohit Sharma.

The emphatic victory was only India´s second in Perth and first since their triumph at the WACA Ground back in 2008. "Fairly disappointing. Prep was good, all firing, fair bit to look at as lots didn´t go right," said Australia captain Pat Cummins.

"You want to get back on the horse but we will take a couple of days´ rest and get training in Adelaide. "We didn´t give ourselves a chance in a few different facets, like the finish on day one with the bat.

"There will be lots of conversations on what we can do better in same conditions." Under Bumrah´s makeshift captaincy, India dominated an ageing side which is now the one facing scrutiny after failing to fire.

Out for a dismal 104 in reply to India´s first-innings 150, the hosts´ bowling attack then had no reply to a brilliant 161 from impressive young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and an unbeaten 100 from Virat Kohli.

The superstar batsman Kohli came into the five-match series under pressure. "Jaiswal´s best Test innings so far, he left the ball well," Bumrah said of the 22-year-old. "I didn´t see Virat out of form -- difficult to judge that on difficult pitches. But he was good in the nets."

Australia´s batting line-up, which has long relied on one large score or partnership to pull them out of sticky situations, was mostly outsmarted. With India setting them a huge target, they again capitulated on Monday. After imploding in the final 30 minutes of play on Sunday, they resumed on 12-3 with Usman Khawaja on three and Steve Smith yet to score.

India won the toss

India 1st Innings 150

Australia 1st Innings 104

India 2nd Innings 487/6d

Australia 2nd Innings

McSweeney lbw b Bumrah 0

Khawaja c Pant b Siraj 4

Cummins (c) c Kohli b Siraj 2

Labuschagne lbw b Bumrah 3

Smith c Pant b Siraj 17

Head c Pant b Bumrah 89

Marsh b Kumar Reddy 47

Carey †b Harshit Rana 36

Starc c Jurel b Sundar 12

Lyon b Washington Sundar 0

Hazlewood not out 4

Extras: (b 5, lb 2, nb 11, w 6) 24

Total: 58.4 Ov (RR: 4.05) 238

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-9, 3-12, 4-17, 5-79, 6-161, 7-182, 8-227, 9-227, 10-238 (Alex Carey, 58.4 ov)

Bowling: Bumrah 12-1-42-3, Mohammed Siraj 14-2-51-3, Harshit Rana 13.4-1-69-1, Washington Sundar 15-0-48-2, Nitish Kumar Reddy 4-0-21-1

Result: India won by 295 runs

Player of the match: Jasprit Bumrah

Umpire: Richard, Illingworth