Fri Nov 22 12:23:06 UTC 2024: ## India’s Batting Collapse Hands Australia Advantage on Day 1 of Perth Test
**Perth, Australia:** A dramatic first day of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024 saw India collapse to a paltry 150 all out, handing Australia a significant advantage in the first Test at the Optus Stadium. The day witnessed a flurry of wickets, with a total of 17 falling – 10 for India and 7 for Australia.
India, winning the toss and electing to bat first, suffered a disastrous start. Openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Devadatt Padikkal were dismissed for ducks, while Virat Kohli managed only 5 runs. KL Rahul contributed 26, but no other Indian batsman reached double figures. Josh Hazlewood spearheaded Australia’s bowling attack, claiming 4 wickets for 29 runs. Mitchell Starc also impressed, taking 2 wickets for 14 runs.
Despite a brief 48-run partnership between Rishabh Pant (37) and debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy (27), India’s batting lineup crumbled under pressure. Pant’s aggressive 37, punctuated by a six, proved insufficient to salvage the innings. The lower order offered little resistance, resulting in a significant first-innings deficit.
Australia’s reply was equally eventful, although they ended the day far better placed. They lost early wickets, including the debutant Nathan McAndrew for 10 runs. Jasprit Bumrah was the pick of the Indian bowlers, securing 4 wickets for 17 runs. Mohammed Siraj contributed two wickets. However, Australia ended the day at 67/7, still trailing by 83 runs but with a promising foundation built by Alex Carey (19*) and Mitchell Starc (6*).
The day also marked the Test debuts for Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana for India, and Nathan McAndrew for Australia. The match promises a thrilling continuation, with Australia needing to navigate the Indian bowling attack to capitalize on their early advantage. The controversy around a caught-behind decision against KL Rahul also dominated the day’s discussion points.
First Piper 