IND vs AUS: Skipper Jasprit Bumrah leads from front as India crush Aussies by 295 runs

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IND vs AUS: The Optus in Perth had turned a ghost town of sorts for the cocky Aussies as they lost the first Test to India in the BGT Series by a massive 295 runs. For fans to not show up on Monday and the drooping shoulders of the Aussies on view, barring that 89-run knock from Travis Head where bravado was not going to really carry the team too far was the only resistance.

That was till stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrah again showed he is ready to put his heart and soul into everything. He led from the front and rotated his bowlers as he eventually knocked off Travis’s head with a caught behind decision with Rishabh Pant doing the needful.

That one delivery which Bumrah produced to get the most dangerous batter came in for praise from the global greats, Wasim Akram included. Indeed, it was a planned dismissal. Head’s batting has always been dynamic and forceful but chasing a Himalayan target, this was not going to help. He did score 89 runs but if he had hung in through the day, it would have been more sensible.

Back to Team India, full marks to the new leader Bumrah and the remaining 10 on the field. Yes, Rohit Sharma has already returned to Perth and hit nets with Akash Deep and other net bowlers testing him with the pink ball ahead of the second Test. It was also a proud Rohit who was also in the pavilion watching India create the magic on Monday as the fast bowlers were in operation, plus Washington Sundar lending variety.

It was important for the Aussies to have batted sensibly in the morning. Pressure, a word often used in sport, did get to them as Bumrah was menacing, Mohammed Siraj got his swing back and hit-the-deck bowler Harshit Rana were firing on all cylinders. Rana may have gone for a few runs, but that was expected as he bowls a fuller length. Where Bumrah showed he thinks and leads with cerebral cunning is how he rotated the bowling, and used them from the right 'ends.’

For example, to let Washington Sundar bowl from the same 'end’ where Nathan Lyon had managed some turn from the rough spots was well planned. It always helps to have a spinner as an option. There has been a lot of chatter before the BGT Series began around India. One has to grant it to the Aussies, who felt the Indians would be a force to reckon with. It was the desi experts who felt India were unprepared or underprepared to take on Australia.

Yet again, as Bumrah had said on the eve of the match, it is a privilege for a fast bowler to lead. He showed that one more chance given to him and he was going to grab it, as he plotted the Aussie downfall. Yes, the runs and tons scores by Yashavi Jaiswal and King Virat Kohli were important, as well as KL Rahul pitching in. Eventually, to win a Test match, one has to take 20 wickets.

The way the drop-in pitch behaved will surely come in for discussion as this has left the Aussies red-faced. Sample this, Perth is the home of legend Dennis Lillee, the sultan of swing ang seam. That was at another historic stadium, the WACA, now not in use for Tests. The Optus is a fairly new venue and India have come out smoking to kill the Aussies in the first Test. This is also pretty reminiscent of the famous win at the Gabba, three years ago.

At that time, too, it was against all odds where Ajinkya Rahane led from the front even as India struggled to put together a playing 11. In Perth, over the last four days, the Indians have shown character, not distracted by anything, the IPL auction included. Everyone knows the Aussies are poor losers and at the same time the BGT series is definitely bigger than even the Ashes.

As for speedster Bumrah, he is now being spoken of in the same breath as Imran Khan, the lion-hearted Pathan who led from the front for Pakistan. This facet of Bumrah has been a joy to watch. His smile says it all and so does the energy levels of the Indians. As for Virat Kohli, the ton he scored has lit up the series. The hosts are worried for sure, with four more Tests to go in a long Aussie summer Down Under.