By Laksh Manan

In a series billed as Australia’s to dominate, India turned the tables emphatically with a resounding victory in the first Test at Perth. After a damning series loss that to be honest nobody had predicted loss against New Zealand, it appeared that the batting was in the doldrums especially the form of key players like Virat Kohli. The Australians, opted for a unique strategy and instead of Gabba which is traditionally where touring teams play first. They welcomed India on Perth’s bouncy Optus Stadium —a decision that spectacularly backfired. Over four days of gripping cricket, India dismantled Australia with skill, strategy, and moments of brilliance.

Day 1: The Hoorah of Jasprit Bumrah

Winning the toss on a lively pitch, India chose to bat first, betting on their spinners and pacers to exploit a deteriorating surface in the fourth innings. However, their decision initially seemed questionable. The pitch offered 0.8 degrees of seam movement—well above the 0.5-degree threshold batters typically manage. Indian batters struggled against the moving ball, and no one crossed fifty as India was bowled out for a paltry 150.

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When Australia’s turn came, Jasprit Bumrah stole the show. Exploiting the extra seam and bounce, Bumrah ran through the Australian batting lineup with surgical precision. Supported by Mohammed Siraj and debutant Rana, Bumrah’s mastery reduced Australia to 104, giving India a crucial 46-run lead. What looked like a batting disaster had turned into a strategic advantage, thanks to India’s pace attack.

Best batters throughout the match

Day 2: Openers Dominate

With the pitch flattening out as the day progressed, India’s openers, KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal, capitalized on the conditions. Their contrasting styles—Rahul’s steady anchoring and Jaiswal’s natural flair—blended perfectly in a massive 201-run partnership. Jaiswal curbed his aggression, showcasing maturity beyond his years, while Rahul ground out a valuable knock to tire out Australia’s bowlers.

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The Australian attack, led by Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, looked surprisingly one-dimensional. They failed to exploit weaknesses in Rahul’s bouncer defense, abandoning the short-ball ploy too soon. By stumps, India had built a substantial lead, leaving the hosts with few answers.

Day 3: Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli Shine

India’s dominance extended into Day 3 as Yashasvi Jaiswal completed a scintillating 161. His innings, was marked by impressive shot selection and firm patience kind of like mixture of Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar, firmly establishing him as an S-tier level talent. Virat Kohli joined the party with a classy century, his first in what felt like an eternity. The flat wicket and true bounce favored Kohli’s style, and his innings was a reminder of why he adores the Australian pitches.

Strikes Rates by bowlers across two innings

India declared with a humongous lead of over 500 runs, setting Australia at gigantic target. The decision to declare late in the day allowed Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj to have another crack at the Australian top order under fading light. Once again, the duo delivered, leaving Australia reeling at 12 for 3 by the close of play.

Day 4: Winning the Match

The cracks in the Perth pitch widened on Day 4, making bowling tougher to face. Variable bounce and uneven turn troubled Australia’s batters, and India’s bowlers made the most of it. While Travis Head fought valiantly with a gritty 89 and contributions from Mitchell Marsh and Alex Carey delayed the inevitable, the result was never in doubt.

Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj maintained relentless pressure, and Washington Sundar came into his own. He drifted the ball perfectly and extracted bounce as a taller spinner which proved to be crucial, and he ended the tail of the Australian batting in a whiff. Australia’s innings ended rather cheaply, giving India a massive win by a huge margin.

Broader Implications

This victory has massive implications for India. Firstly, it boosted their chances of qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) final, but it has also laid out bare the chinks in the Australian batting lineup. For Australia, this loss is a wake-up call to have a deep analysis of their batting. Their batting woes and the ineffectiveness of their bowling unit on home soil must be addressed before the pink-ball Test.

India now has a golden opportunity to secure an unprecedented third consecutive series win in Australia. However, complacency could be their biggest enemy. For Australia, the road ahead is steep, and the pink-ball Test might be their last chance to salvage the series.

Did anyone notice the sheer craziness and madness of Test cricket this year? Nobody kept Bangladesh as favorites to win a Test in Pakistan, let alone win the entire series. New Zealand were written off even before they reached the shores of India, but they defied all expectations and well almost ended India’s chances of qualifying for the WTC final. Similarly, India were far from favorites heading into this match, but they have definitely given some wild thoughts, maybe winning the series. This unpredictability is just crazy and so much fun!  Fans and teams alike—don’t know what will happen and this unpredictability adds a whole new level of excitement to the crazy year of Test Cricket 2024.

Conclusion

India’s magnificent victory at Perth wasn’t just a statement—it was a reminder of why Test cricket remainsy the topmost form of cricket. From Jasprit Bumrah’s devastating spells to Yashasvi Jaiswal’s century and Kohli’s triumphant return to form, this match had it all. For fans and analysts alike, the series has just become unmissable. The question now is: can India continue this dominance and cement their legacy Down Under? We don’t know, but surely it would be a lot of fun.