India is in a commanding position in the first Test against Australia in Perth, with just 7 wickets left to claim victory. After a dominant performance on Day 3, India set a massive target of 534 runs for the Aussies. By the end of Day 3, Australia was struggling at 12/3, with 522 more runs needed to win.
India’s bowlers have been in spectacular form, as Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Siraj struck crucial blows. The Aussies began their second innings with the pressure of a steep target, but Bumrah struck early, dismissing Nathan McSweeney (0) with an lbw. Shortly after, Pat Cummins, who had come in as a night watchman, was dismissed by Siraj. Then, Bumrah got rid of Marnus Labuschagne (3) to leave Australia in deep trouble.
With only two days of play left, the match seems firmly in India’s grasp. India had earlier bowled Australia out for just 104 runs in the first innings, giving them a commanding lead.
Kohli Breaks Tendulkar’s Record with 116 Catches
In another highlight, Virat Kohli achieved a significant milestone, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar‘s record for most catches in Test cricket. Kohli’s catch of Pat Cummins off Mohammad Siraj in the second innings brought his total to 116 catches, one more than Sachin’s 115. Rahul Dravid remains the leader with 210 catches.
Playing XI of Both Teams:
Australia (Playing XI):
- Usman Khawaja
- Nathan McSweeney
- Marnus Labuschagne
- Steven Smith
- Travis Head
- Mitchell Marsh
- Alex Carey (wicketkeeper)
- Pat Cummins (captain)
- Mitchell Starc
- Nathan Lyon
- Josh Hazlewood
India (Playing XI):
- KL Rahul
- Yashaswi Jaiswal
- Devdutt Padikkal
- Virat Kohli
- Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper)
- Dhruv Jurel
- Nitish Reddy
- Washington Sundar
- Harshit Rana
- Jasprit Bumrah (captain)
- Mohammad Siraj
With the match on the brink of a thrilling conclusion, all eyes are now on India’s bowlers to finish the job and secure a historic victory in Perth.
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