Abu Dhabi [UAE], November 23 – Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin has predicted a fiercely contested Border-Gavaskar Trophy series between India and Australia, following an action-packed opening day in Perth.
The first day of the much-anticipated series saw 17 wickets fall—a record for the opening day of a Test match in Australia since 1952. Both teams delivered high-quality performances, setting the tone for a thrilling series.
Speaking to media, Azharuddin expressed confidence in India’s bowling attack, asserting that they could match the Australian bowlers’ dominance.
“It will be a tough series. If Australia is thinking they can dominate by bowling us out, then our bowlers can do the same. I think it will be a very competitive series,” he said.
Day One Match Recap
India won the toss and elected to bat first but struggled against Australia’s disciplined bowling. Early dismissals left the Indian side on the back foot, but crucial contributions from debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy (41 off 59 balls) and Rishabh Pant (37 off 78 balls) helped the team reach a modest total of 150 runs.
Josh Hazlewood was the pick of the Australian bowlers with figures of 4/29, while Pat Cummins, Mitchell Marsh, and Mitchell Starc claimed two wickets each.
India responded with a stellar bowling display, reducing Australia to 67/7 by the end of the day. Skipper Jasprit Bumrah led the charge with a fiery spell, supported by pacers Harshit Rana and Mohammed Siraj, leaving the Australian batting lineup in tatters.
Playing XIs
Australia: Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (WK), Pat Cummins (C), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.
India: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah (C), Mohammed Siraj.
Looking Ahead
With both teams displaying exceptional bowling performances, the series promises to be closely contested. As Azharuddin predicted, India’s bowlers proved they could match Australia’s attack, setting the stage for an intense battle in the coming days.
