Befitting the rivalry between Australia and India, the latest tussle for the started in eventful fashion with wild momentum swings and a as pace bowlers from both attacks thoroughly dominated in favourable conditions at Optus Stadium. By the end of a madcap first day's play, India had remarkably finished on top after stand-in captain tore through Australia's top-order with spectacular seam bowling. He finished with 4 for 17 from 10 overs.
He claimed debutant Nathan McSweeney for 10 in the third over before dismissing Usman Khawaja and Steven Smith with consecutive balls in the seventh over to turn a fast-moving first Test on its head. In just his second red-ball match opening the batting, McSweeney faced a baptism of fire and initially judged the length well before Bumrah adjusted to a fuller length and trapped him on the pads. Smith's shift back to his favoured No.
4 did not start well after he shuffled across his stumps and was plumb lbw by a wicked Bumrah delivery that decked back a mile. Australia nosedived further when Travis Head was bowled by a cracker of a delivery from debutant quick , while Mitchell Marsh and Marnus Labuschagne fell to Mohammed Siraj. Having started the season slowly, Labuschagne had an excruciating time.
He was dropped by Virat Kohli at second slip after edging Bumrah and didn't score off his first 23 deliveries faced. He received mock applause from the terraces when he finally broke his drought, but Labuschagne could never get going and made a pain.
