AUS VS IND 1ST TEST

Right then, as we call it a day from this riveting first day of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the Perth Test sits delicately poised. India's next target will be the evergreen Alex Carey, whose lower middle-order heroics - including that match-defining 98 in Christchurch earlier this year - have often swung games Australia's way recently. As the weekend approaches, the action resumes on November 23, Saturday, at 2.20 am GMT, with our build-up kicking much earlier. This absorbing contest has already set the stage for what is to come in the Tests to follow ahead. Day 2 promises more of the same. Until then, cheers!

A similar trend was evident in Australia's innings as well, with the new ball doing all the damage. The batters struggled to cope with the nip and zip off the deck. The hosts have three wickets in hand now, and notably, 83 is Australia's lowest total against India in Test cricket. Will India restrict the hosts below that, or can Australia stage a thrilling comeback on Day 2? This storied rivalry's intensity ensures that anything can happen as we move forward.

So whom does this first day belong to? India? Australia? The pacers, to be very fair. But if we take a magnified look, India holds a slight upper hand as Australia's deficit still reads 83 runs with more than half of the side in the dugout already. A day of high-octane cricket saw both sides trade heavy punches - Hazlewood landed the first blow with a masterful 4-fer, demolishing India's lineup for a paltry 150, though debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy's gritty 41 and the Pant-Reddy's resistance offered minimal respite for the visitors. But just when Australia thought they had the upper hand and it was a good toss to lose, Indian skipper Bumrah unleashed his own brand of threatening bowling with a 4-wicket haul and the others too chipping in time.

Bumrah's fiery spell found perfect partners in Siraj and Harshit Rana, who kept the pressure cooking. Rana delivered a gem of a delivery to send the dangerous Travis Head packing, while Labuschagne found himself frozen in time - facing excruciatingly questioning 24 deliveries to scratch his first run. He was joined by the seasoned Mitchell Marsh who attempted to withstand the storm but couldn't extend his inning with Labuschagne too, following the suit sooner. After that, it all went from bad to worst for 'Straaya' as they were further damaged to 59/7, staring down at a scary all-out.

While India's batting lineup was consumed by the relentless Aussie pacers bossing up and reduced to 150, the tourists fought fire with fire, extinguishing Australia's top order. Jasprit Bumrah emerged as the chief destructor, unleashing a questioning spell that left the Aussie top order smouldering. His accuracy and movement proved too hot to handle as he single-handedly reduced Australia to 19/3, dashing the hopes of Khawaja, McSweeney, and Smith in quick succession.

STUMPS, DAY 1 - Session Summary - 27 overs, 67 runs, 7 wickets. Pace, pace, and scorching pace! This has been the story of this West Test so far, living up to its characteristic nature of pacers mastering the proceedings. An extraordinary commencement of this Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25. A day of cricket where the bowlers bossed up all the sessions with 17 wickets falling on the first day of this first Test, and all of them were snagged by the seamers. Well and truly, a day to be forgotten for all the batters across both sides.

Oh, the double bluff on the last ball of the day almost worked for Bumrah! The field was set for a short ball with a deepish backward square leg and a leg gully in place. However, Bumrah rolls his fingers over the ball and serves a slower delivery, on a nagging length, on off and middle, Mitchell Starc does not pick the change of pace and pushes at the delivery. He goes through the shot early and chips it towards the bowler. It lobs and drops in front of Bumrah who charged in on his follow-through. THAT WILL BE STUMPS ON DAY 1!

Attacking the stumps, on a length, Starc pushes it towards mid on.

Bumrah bends his back and slips in a bumper, on off, Starc ducks and lets the ball go behind to the keeper.

FOUR! Up and over! This is on a length, on off, Starc gets the ball in his arc and he just goes through the line. Does not try to overhit this one and just lofts it over mid off for a boundary.

Full, on off, Starc stabs it down on the off side.

In and around the off-stump line, on a nagging length, Carey brings his wrists into play and turns it wide of square leg. The batters think about the second run but it would have been a risky run as the fielder was quick to get to the ball. In the end, the batters stay content with the single.

On the fuller side, on off, Starc checks his drive as he plays it along the carpet to mid off.

Dug in short by Rana again, outside off, Starc drops his wrists and sees the ball go past him.

Banged into the deck, around off, on a shortish length, Starc sways away from the line of the ball and lets it go.

On a length, on off, Starc looks to go back over the bowler's head. The bat turns in his hand and he ends up lobbing it over mid on for a couple of runs.

Hits the deck hard does Harshit, on a hard length, on off, Starc waits on the back foot and keeps it out on the off side.

At 139.2 kph, full and sliding onto the pads, Carey flicks it all along the ground to deep fine leg for a single.