Yashasvi Jaiswal's 161 and Virat Kohli's Century Dominate Australia in First Test

In the same city where cricket legends Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli have made their mark, India's latest batting prodigy, Yashasvi Jaiswal, produced a masterclass of his own with a sublime 161, as India took complete control of the first Test against Australia at Optus Stadium in Perth. Jaiswal’s brilliant knock, combined with Virat Kohli's drought-breaking century, helped India declare their second innings at 487 for 6, setting Australia an imposing target of 534.

Kohli, who had scored a memorable ton on the same ground in 2018, continued his resurgence with a classy century of his own. His return to form was capped off by a declaration that left Australia needing an almost impossible 534 runs to win.

As the shadows lengthened on day three, Australia’s chase got off to a disastrous start, crashing to 12 for 3 in just 4.2 overs. Stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah struck early, dismissing Nathan McSweeney for a duck in the opening over, as the delivery crept low and hit his pads. McSweeney had a tough debut, having made just 10 in the first innings.

Captain Pat Cummins, coming in as the nightwatchman, didn’t last long either, edging a delivery from Mohammed Siraj to leave Australia in deep trouble at 9 for 2. Marnus Labuschagne, Australia’s best batter, was then trapped lbw by a searing delivery from Bumrah. After taking five wickets in the first innings, Bumrah finished with remarkable figures of 2 for 1 in just 2.2 overs.

The day's play was a complete domination for India, with Jaiswal and Kohli ruthlessly breaking Australia’s spirits in sweltering conditions, as temperatures hit 36°C in Perth. The pitch, initially appearing benign, began showing signs of uneven bounce, which only added to Australia’s woes.

Jaiswal and his opening partner KL Rahul, who had batted through the final two sessions of day two, began the day with a golden opportunity to extend India’s advantage. Australia’s bowlers, including Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, started with attacking lengths, but Jaiswal was resolute, playing and missing a few times but remaining unflappable.

In a moment of flair befitting his talent, Jaiswal brought up his century in spectacular fashion. On 95, he attempted to ramp a bouncer from Hazlewood over the slips but instead struck the ball to fine leg for what initially seemed like a boundary. After a brief review, the umpires confirmed it as a six, and Jaiswal punched the air in celebration.

The openers were fortunate to survive a potential run-out when a mix-up between Jaiswal and Rahul almost saw the latter dismissed. But Rahul continued to support Jaiswal as they brought up the first-ever double-century opening partnership for India in Australia, before Rahul was caught behind for 77 off Starc. This ended a 201-run stand that had been India's sixth-highest opening partnership from overseas in Australia.

Devdutt Padikkal, replacing captain Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill in the lineup, fared better in the second innings after his duck in the first. He combined well with Jaiswal, though he was dismissed by Hazlewood after lunch for a solid 20. The dismissal brought Kohli to the crease, looking to continue his resurgence.

Kohli, having struggled earlier in the series, showed intent from the start. He had spent much of the first session padded up and ready to bat, determined to make up for his first-innings failure. He adjusted his stance, ensuring he didn’t bat out of his crease as he had done previously, and played with much more comfort.

Jaiswal, meanwhile, was unstoppable, passing 150 and seemingly in control of every challenge Australia threw at him. The highlight of the day came when Jaiswal was dropped by wicketkeeper Alex Carey on 161, but his luck ran out shortly after when he was caught at point off Mitchell Marsh.

As Jaiswal walked off the field to a standing ovation, India had lost three quick wickets—Rishabh Pant was stumped by Nathan Lyon for 1, and Dhruv Jurel was trapped lbw by Cummins—leading to a brief period of Australian resistance.

However, Kohli, in aggressive mood, continued to push the scoring rate. After a six off Starc that accidentally struck a security officer, Kohli continued his dominance and brought up his 30th Test century with a boundary to deep fine leg. He dedicated the milestone to his wife with a kiss and then led India’s declaration as they set Australia a daunting target.

With a win now firmly in sight, Kohli and debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy, who played a T20-style cameo, ensured that India was firmly on top as they closed in on a famous victory. Australia, with a record chase ahead of them, would need something extraordinary to avoid defeat.