Fri Nov 22 06:35:03 UTC 2024: ## India Stumbles in Perth Test Debut
**Perth, Australia –** India’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy campaign got off to a shaky start on Day 1 of the first Test against Australia in Perth. Winning the toss and electing to bat, India found themselves struggling at 73/6 at the close of play, a disappointing performance marked by several early wickets.
Jasprit Bumrah captained India in the absence of regular skipper Rohit Sharma. The match also saw the Test debuts of Nitish Reddy and Harshit Rana, leading to the omission of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja from the playing XI. Washington Sundar was the only specialist spinner in the Indian lineup.
Early wickets fell to the Australian pace attack, with Yashasvi Jaiswal (8) and Virat Kohli (5) falling cheaply. KL Rahul, despite a relatively long stay at the crease, managed only 26 runs before he was dismissed, sparking some controversy regarding the umpiring decision. The Indian batting order continued to crumble, leaving them in a precarious position at the close of play.
Australia, meanwhile, fielded a strong lineup featuring Pat Cummins as captain. Their bowlers exploited the Perth pitch to consistently put pressure on the Indian batsmen.
The match continues tomorrow, with India needing a significant turnaround to salvage their position. The day’s play highlighted the challenges awaiting India in their bid to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
First Piper 