Rohit, Jadeja give India day one honours against Australia in Nagpur

India enjoyed the perfect start to the Border Gavaskar series against Australia at home as the Men in Blue produced a dominant display on day one of the first Test in Nagpur. Ravindra Jadeja picked up a five-wicket haul to help India bowl out Australia for just 177 in the first innings before Rohit Sharma’s faultless half-century took his team 77 for one at stumps to cut down the deficit to just 100 runs.

Australia suffered the worst possible start to their tour of the subcontinent as both openers departed inside the first three overs after winning the toss and opting to bat. Mohammed Siraj removed Usman Khawaja off the first ball of his spell, trapping the left-hander with an inswinging delivery that was adjudged LBW after a review. His partner, David Warner, departed six balls later as he lost his off-stump to a peach from Mohammed Shami in the third over of the morning.

Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith steadied the ship for the tourists after the early strikes, navigating the spin trio of Jadeja, Axar Patel and Ashwin without too much difficulty to see Australia through till Lunch. However, the pair couldn’t keep the Indians at bay for long, with Jadeja eventually breaking the 82-run stand after the break. The left-armer got one to rip past Labuschagne’s bat and KS Bharat did all the rest behind the stumps to give India the breakthrough they needed.

Jadeja trapped Matt Renshaw LBW for a golden duck off the next delivery and also picked up the big wicket of Steve Smith for 37 with an arm ball. Pete Handscomb and Alex Carey added some quick runs with a flurry of sweeps through the second session, but the wicket-keeper mistimed a reverse sweep against Ashwin to lose his stumps, gifting the off-spinner his 450th Test wicket.

India wrapped up the Australian innings in a hurry after Carey’s departure on either side of Tea. Ashwin set up Pat Cummins beautifully to give Kohli a catch at slip, while Jadeja pinned Pete Handscomb and Todd Murphy on their pads to pick up another Test five-wicket haul. Ravichandran Ashwin deceived Scott Boland with a carrom ball to pick up the final wicket of the first innings , skittling Australia for just 177.

The Indian opening pair of Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul looked much more comfortable at the crease than their counterparts. Rohit laced Pat Cummins for three boundaries in the opening over and brought up another half-century to extend his meteoric dominance at home in Test cricket. The duo added 76 for the opening stand before KL Rahul perished towards the close of play, chipping one back to Todd Murphy to give the off-spinner his maiden Test wicket.