Jadeja, Rohit, Ashwin led India to resounding innings win

INDIA WINS 1st TEST MATCH :Australia crumbled to their second-lowest total against India in 32.3 overs on the third day

India completed the demolition job of Australia inside three days by bowling them out for 91 in 32.3 overs in the second innings. It was their second-lowest score against INDIA

India wins by an innings and 132 runs and could not have made a bigger statement at the start of this series. Australia loses all 10 wickets in basically a session. You know what you are going to get when you come to India, but it’s a different question entirely being able to confront it. India were in charge from the very start and, apart from being 168 for 5, were comfortably in front throughout. Ravindra Jadeja was magnificent all-round and Rohit Sharma’s hundred set up India’s innings. Axar Patel, too, batted very well although as evidenced by this collapse, India would already have had enough runs. There is a lot for Australia to ponder. They had some injury issues leading into the Test and also made the big call to leave out Travis Head. The return of Cameron Green and Mitchell Starc would be timely, but they face a huge call to get back into this series. There will be focus on today’s collapse, but making 177 in the first innings was where the game was lost. It’s so hard to play catch-up cricket.India.

in, outbowled by Ravindra Jadeja in the first innings and outbatted by both Axar Patel and Jadeja, led the Australian collapse in the second innings with 5 for 37, his 31st five-wicket haul. Fifteen of the 20 wickets that India took were lbw or bowled, which sums up their expertise at attacking the stumps without getting picked off for runs.

It was all the more torturous for Australia because India’s last three wickets lasted the whole first session on a pitch that was turning more and quicker than day two. Australia started the day 144 behind, needing the last three wickets for nothing to give them any hope of staying alive in the Test. They got Jadeja early, but Axar added 52 and 20 with Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj to take India’s lead to 223.

Axar summed up the challenge for Australia. Coming in at No. 9, he batted much like a proper batter and handled the quick turn on the pitch with little fuss. There was a time when he might even have entertained thoughts of a maiden Test hundred. However, trying to farm the strike with Siraj and looking for a big hit towards the end of an over, Axar lost his off stump on 84. Between them, India’s three spinners aggregated exactly 177, Australia’s first-innings score.

Debutant Todd Murphy continued to impress as he ended up with figures of 7 for 124, his first five-for in first-class cricket, his longest shift in first-class cricket. That Murphy looked right at home was the last positive for Australia.

New ball, turning pitch, second innings, two left-hand openers, more left-hand batters in the middle order. Even Chat GPT would have thrown the new ball to Ashwin. It took just five balls for the slide to begin. Usman Khawaja thought he had a nice little half-volley to drive at, but it dipped ever so slightly. That was enough for the ball to turn, take the edge and go to slip.

Breaking news Ravindra Jadeja has been given one demerit point and fined 25% of his match fee for applying the soothing cream without the on-field umpires’ permission, but ICC match officiating team is satisfied this was not used as an artificial substance to alter the condition of the ball. They were satisfied the condition wasn’t altered