Bumrah leads impressive comeback to India’s bowling after no-show – ThePrint – PTIFeed

Perth, Nov 22 (PTI) Skipper Jasprit Bumrah corrected his controversial call to bat first with a mesmerizing opening spell that sent Australia racing for cover at 67 for 7 and helped India make a strong comeback from a disastrous show with the bat in the position. The opening day of the first test is here.

The match, which was billed as a battle between two out-of-form batting players, lived up to the forecast, at least on the first day, with as many as 17 wickets falling.

It was debutant Nitish Reddy’s gutsy 41 and Rishabh Pant’s 37, including an incredible six, that saw India reach 150 in 49.4 overs with Josh Hazlewood (4/29), Mitchell Starc (2/14 in 11 overs), Pat Cummins ( 2/ 67 in 15.4 overs) and Mitchell Marsh (2/12 in 5 overs) share the spoils.

When they came out to respond, Australia were unable to respond to the quality Bumrah (4/17 in 10 overs) showed. Defending a small number of first innings cannot be the job of one man and Mohammed Siraj (2/17 in 9 overs) and debutant Harshit Rana (1/33 in 8 overs) supported their captain.

The areas they hit were immaculate, about five meters from the stumps and on the channel outside the stumps. The live grass did the rest when the ball landed on the seam.

Debutant Nathan McSweeney (10) was backed and DRS had previously managed him.

Usman Khawaja (8) was simply frozen at the crease when Bumrah decided to level him round the wicket. Virat Kohli, who had earlier dismissed Marnus Labuschagne (2 off 52 balls), did not make any mistake in this one.

But it was the out-of-form Steven Smith (0) who received a very difficult first serve which came close and dived to catch him plumb in front.

Just as Bumrah had set the tone, debutant Harshit’s bustling action hit the middle stump, pulling Travis Head (11) ahead before he swerved to bowl the out-on-bailer.

Australia were 31 for 4.

Labuschagne scored 24 not out of the target and also found himself at the center of angry words from an emotional Siraj.

The Indian then fed the ball to Mitchell Marsh and the resulting lead was brilliantly intercepted by KL. Rahul before ending Labuschanie’s 52-ball agony with a clipped cut.

Bumrah then came for his final run of the day to remove the rival captain as India took control of proceedings.

Indian top order deflated ======= But this resurrection was preceded by a horror show with the bat.

Reddy’s persistence and Pant’s short-lived courage were the only salvation against a disciplined Australia.

Pant and Reddy added 48 when rival captain Cummins, who had dropped a skier, was given a fuller delivery to straighten as the left-hander covered his face with the bat and a thick leading edge flew into second slip.

Pant and Reddy were the only players who intended to fight back. Top players include K.L. Rahul (26 off 74 balls) was ready to see it through before he had to make a controversial decision.

Youngsters like Yashasvi Jaiswal (0) and Devdutt Padikkal (0) looked completely out of place during a brilliant debut spell by the tandem of Starc and Josh Hazlewood.

Virat Kohli (5) was bowled by a short ball from Hazlewood. The star Indian batter failed to clear his bat and the resulting lead turned into a routine catch.

During this course, Rahul followed the basics – playing the one that enters his body, leaving all other shots to length.

He came out when Starc, returning for his second spell, had him move to the shadow, and wiltedly showed the deflection, although the batter assumed his bat had hit the crease at the same moment the ball went past the edge. PTI KHS PM KHS PM PM

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