Bumrah’s Brilliant Spell Puts India on Top in Eventful First Day of Border-Gavaskar Trophy

The much-anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy clash between Australia and India kicked off in thrilling fashion at Optus Stadium, with wild momentum shifts, a DRS controversy, and outstanding pace bowling on display. By the close of an intense first day's play, India found themselves in a commanding position, thanks to stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah, who tormented Australia’s top order with a devastating spell.

Bumrah’s superb seam bowling, which earned him 4 for 17 from 10 overs, was the standout performance of the day. He struck early, dismissing debutant Nathan McSweeney for 10 in the third over before delivering a stunning double blow in the seventh. Bumrah sent both Usman Khawaja and Steven Smith back to the pavilion with consecutive deliveries, putting Australia on the back foot in a fast-moving Test match.

McSweeney, in his second-ever red-ball match opening the batting, faced a baptism of fire. After initially judging the length well, he was trapped in front by a fuller delivery from Bumrah. Smith, returning to his favored No.4 position, didn’t last long either, as he was plumb lbw to a wicked delivery from Bumrah that swung in sharply.

Australia's problems worsened when Travis Head was dismissed for a duck by debutant pacer Harshit Rana, who bowled a beauty to clean him up. Mitchell Marsh and Marnus Labuschagne were then dismissed by Mohammed Siraj, leaving Australia struggling at 47 for 6 at one stage.

Labuschagne, who had a difficult start to his innings, was dropped by Virat Kohli at second slip after edging Bumrah, and he faced 23 balls without scoring. When he eventually got off the mark, the crowd responded with mock applause, but his innings never gained momentum, and he was dismissed for a painstaking 2 off 52 balls.

Bumrah wasn't done yet. After a short break, he returned to claim Pat Cummins’ wicket as Australia limped to 67 for 7 by the close of play.

Earlier, India had been bowled out for 150 in just 49.4 overs, with nine of their batters falling to catches behind the wicket. This mode of dismissal has been a feature of Perth pitches in recent years, both at Optus Stadium and the nearby WACA ground. The decision to bat first, despite overcast skies and a green-tinged pitch, came as a surprise. With warm weather expected later in the match, India might have been hoping for a quicker deterioration of the surface, but it turned out to be a challenging decision as Australia’s pacers made the most of the conditions.

Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood set the tone with superb new ball bowling. Starc was especially impressive, troubling the left-handers with his immaculate line and away swing. He claimed the first wicket of the day, dismissing Yashasvi Jaiswal for a duck. Hazlewood followed up by removing Devdutt Padikkal, who struggled to get going, and Virat Kohli, who was dismissed for 5 after a lifeless shot that landed straight to first slip.

With regular openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill unavailable, Padikkal was given an unexpected opportunity at No.3. However, he faced a torrid time against the Australian quicks, edging Hazlewood to the keeper after facing 22 deliveries without scoring.

India's woes continued as KL Rahul, who had been struck on the elbow during an intra-squad match before the series, showed bravery in the face of relentless Australian pace. He managed to score a scrappy 26 before a controversial DRS call saw him given out after an appeal for caught behind. Starc reviewed the on-field decision, and with Snicko showing a spike, the umpire's call was overturned, leaving India at 47 for 4.

After lunch, Australia continued their dominance with Mitchell Marsh returning to the bowling crease for the first time since an IPL hamstring injury. Marsh made an immediate impact, claiming two wickets for just 12 runs from five overs. He dismissed Dhruv Jurel and Washington Sundar, boosting Australia's chances further.

India's hopes rested with counterattacking Rishabh Pant and debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy, who managed a partnership of 48 runs — the highest of the innings. Pant, known for his aggressive style, hit a daring scoop shot for six, while Reddy mixed orthodox drives with inventive paddle sweeps. But both were dismissed before tea, with Pat Cummins claiming their wickets as he finished with 2 for 67 from 15.4 overs.

In his first red-ball match since March, Cummins' performance was underwhelming, but he still helped Australia finish on top after dismissing the last two Indian batters. However, his mood soured quickly as he was dismissed in the final over of the day by Bumrah, leaving Australia at 67 for 7 at stumps.

The first day of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy proved to be a rollercoaster of emotions, with both teams enduring sharp turns in fortune. India will be pleased with their position, but Australia still has a chance to bounce back, depending on how the pitch behaves on day two.