India beat Australia by an innings and 132 runs in the first Test of the four-match series, which was played at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur. The spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin (5/37) and Ravindra Jadeja (2/34) helped India dismiss the Baggy Greens for just 91 runs in the second innings after taking a massive lead of 223 runs in the first innings. The world’s No. 1 Test team, Australia, had no answer to whatever was thrown at them by the Indian bowling unit, and they got all out for just 91 runs in 32.3 overs.
For India, Ashwin picked up his 31st five-wicket haul in Test cricket, whereas Jadeja, who was playing his first international match since August 31, 2022, got rid of two Aussie batters. In the second inning, he first accounted for the departure of the world’s No. 1 Test batter, Marnus Labuschagne (17), and then sent Australian captain Pat Cummins (1) back to the pavilion. It was a memorable comeback match for Jadeja, who in the first innings had taken a five-wicket haul and then, when he got a chance to bat, scored an impressive 70 runs.
Earlier on Saturday (February 11), India batted the entire first session to post a 400-run total in the first innings. For India, Axar Patel was the last player to get out, but before returning to the pavilion after making 84 runs from 174 balls, he made sure that India’s lead crossed the 200-mark. He added 88 runs for the eighth wicket with Jadeja, and after Jadeja’s departure, Axar joined hands with Mohammed Shami (37) to add 52 runs for the ninth wicket.
The first Test of the high-profile Test series couldn’t even last three days as the Aussies struggled to find their feet. They only managed to score 177 runs on the first day of the match by batting just a little over two sessions, and then on the third day, they lost all ten wickets in one session. It was a humiliating performance by the team that leads the Test and World Test Championship points tables.
The second red-ball game between these two sides will take place at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi from February 17–21, and India would hope to win that game as well to go 2-0 up.
