Perth [Australia], November 23 – Australian pacer Mitchell Starc commended India’s stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrah for his exceptional performance on the first day of the Perth Test in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT). Bumrah showcased his prowess, picking up four wickets for just 17 runs in 10 overs, with a remarkable economy rate of 1.70.
Speaking at the press conference, Starc lauded Bumrah’s unique bowling action and skills, which were on full display.
“So, there’s no surprise that he’s been a fantastic bowler across the formats for a long time. And again, his skills were on show today as to how, how good he is. So, yeah, I’m sure there’s something in that release point. That’s significant to his action. It’s something a lot of people can’t do, so I’m not, I’m certainly not going to go and try it. I’ll probably snap,” Starc said.
Match Summary: Day One
India, after winning the toss and opting to bat, struggled against Australia’s disciplined bowling attack. Regular fall of wickets kept the team on the back foot. Notable contributions came from Nitish Kumar Reddy, who scored 41 off 59 balls (six fours and a six), and Rishabh Pant, who made 37 off 78 balls (three fours and a six). These knocks helped India post a modest total of 150 runs.
Josh Hazlewood spearheaded Australia’s bowling effort with figures of 4/29, while Pat Cummins, Mitchell Marsh, and Mitchell Starc claimed two wickets each.
India retaliated with a stellar bowling performance, reducing Australia to 67/7 by the end of the first day. Bumrah led the charge with a fiery spell, supported by fast bowlers Harshit Rana and Mohammed Siraj, leaving the Australian batting line-up 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 a fiery start from the Indian bowlers, the second day promises an intense contest as Australia looks to recover from a precarious position. Jasprit Bumrah’s captaincy debut is off to a promising start, raising hopes for a memorable match in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
