Perth: From Virat Kohli unlocking another run-scoring feat in Australia to Jasprit
Bumrah rubbing shoulders with Kapil Dev, India’s win against Australia saw several key
milestones.
India kickstarted the five-Test Border-Gavaskar series against Australia with a comprehensive 295-run triumph in Perth on Monday.
The win is India’s biggest by the margin of runs against Australia in Australia. The previous biggest win dates back to 1977, when India won their first Test Down Under in Melbourne. It is also their
10th Test victory in the country.
In the overall contests between these two nations, it was the second biggest Test win (in terms of runs) after the Mohali Test (2008), when India had won by 320 runs.
Laying the foundation for the win was the stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrah, who snapped eight wickets across the Test, including a five-for in the first innings.
Bumrah became only the second captain from Asia to lead his team to a Test win against Australia
in Perth – after Anil Kumble (2008), an ICC report said.
The 30-year-old levelled the record for most five-wicket hauls for India in Tests in the SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia). Bumrah is now level with Kapil Dev atop the tally with seven five-fors.
After India managed to dismiss Australia for 104 in the first innings and establish a 46-run advantage, Yashasvi Jaiswal (161) and KL Rahul set the stage for a big total.
The duo combined to add 201 runs – the highest opening wicket stand for India in Australia.
Jaiswal also became only the second player to convert his first four Test hundreds into 150 plus scores – the other being former South Africa captain Graeme Smith.
Also back in form for India in the longest format was Virat Kohli, who notched his 30th Test ton, his first in Australia since 2018.
It was the seventh overall Test hundred for Kohli Down Under – most by an Indian batter in the country. He broke Sachin Tendulkar’s record of six centuries in 20 Tests.
UNI