It was Test cricket on speed on the opening day in Perth

Test Cricket on Speed: A Different Kind in Perth

Fast Bowlers Call the Shots on Opening Day

On the opening day of the India-Australia Test series in Perth, the fast bowlers took center stage, dictating the terms of the game from start to finish. The Optus Stadium witnessed a staggering 17 wickets fall, with the Indian and Australian top-orders struggling to cope with the pace and skill of the opposing bowlers.

Starc and Hazlewood in Top Form

Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, the Australian new-ball duo, were in top form, running in from the first over of the day. Starc struck first, getting Yashasvi Jaiswal out with a full delivery on off-stump, while Hazlewood showed why he's the ultimate threat in these conditions, bowling an incisive spell to open the attack.

Hazlewood's Masterclass

Hazlewood's dismissal of Devdutt Padikkal was a masterclass in bowling. He produced the length that would have Padikkal edging surely, and after beating the outside-edge with his first delivery, he changed his angle to hit the left-hander on the pads off back-to-back deliveries. The final delivery, a slightly fuller one, pitched and angled away just enough to have Padikkal poking and caught behind the wicket.

Kohli Falls Prey to Hazlewood

Virat Kohli, who entered the arena to much fanfare, looked desperate rather than eager to get after the Aussie bowlers. He fell prey to Hazlewood's skill, getting beaten by the bounce and awkwardly edging it to Usman Khawaja at first slip.

KL Rahul's Fight

KL Rahul fought through the toughest period to give himself an opportunity to progress beyond the seeing-off-the-new-ball stage. His dismissal will be discussed for a while to come, especially if the result goes against India eventually.

Reddy's Impressive Display

Nitish Kumar Reddy put up an impressive display, looking the most comfortable both while defending and attacking. He took on the might of the Aussies and managed to top-score in his first outing at this level, that too in the cauldron of the Perth Stadium.

Bumrah's Exceptional Spell

Jasprit Bumrah created his own impression on the Test match in only his second game in-charge. He showcased exceptional skill, leading from the front and getting the ball to behave as per his demands. He eliminated Nathan McSweeney, Usman Khawaja, and Steve Smith, setting the tone for the Indian pace attack.

Australia Succumbs to Pressure

The hosts succumbed to the sustained pressure of the Indian pace attack, with Marnus Labuschagne being the only batsman to hang around for longer than the rest of his batting colleagues.