Fri Nov 22 09:05:02 UTC 2024: ## India Crumbles on Day 1 of Perth Test; Pant Makes History Despite Loss
**Perth, Australia (November 22, 2024):** India suffered a disappointing start to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, collapsing to 150 all out on the first day of the first Test match in Perth. Despite a valiant effort from Rishabh Pant, who scored 37 runs, the Indian batting lineup struggled against the Australian pace attack.
The Indian innings was punctuated by early wickets, with six batsmen dismissed before the score reached 73. While Virat Kohli’s departure for 5 runs added to India’s woes, Pant provided a much-needed counterattack after coming in at 16.2 overs. He formed crucial partnerships with KL Rahul (26 runs), Dhruv Jurel (11 runs), and Washington Sundar (4 runs). His 48-run partnership with debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy further stabilized the innings.
However, Pant’s resistance eventually ended when he fell to Pat Cummins for 37 runs, becoming Cummins’ first Test wicket. His innings included three boundaries and a six.
Despite the team’s overall failure, Pant achieved a significant personal milestone. He surpassed England’s Alan Knott to become the highest-scoring visiting wicketkeeper in Test matches played in Australia, accumulating over 650 runs. This achievement overshadows the team’s disappointing performance, highlighting his individual prowess. The controversy surrounding KL Rahul’s dismissal also marred the day’s play, with accusations of a major umpiring error. Australia’s opening batsmen, Usman Khawaja and David Warner, are at the crease at the close of play.
First Piper 