India breathe life into WTC25 Final dreams after triumph over Australia in Perth

Australia v India, 1st Test, Scorecard

Needing to win at least four of the five matches in the Border-Gavaskar series to guarantee a place in the World Test Championship Final, India took the first crucial step with a monumental victory over Australia in Perth.

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The 295-run win was India’s largest margin of victory against Australia away from home in terms of runs, surpassing their 222-run triumph in Melbourne back in 1977.

The victory propelled India to the top of the WTC25 standings with a points percentage of 61.11, while Australia dropped to second place with 57.69.

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After inflicting heavy damage late on Day 3, leaving Australia struggling at 12/3, India required just seven more wickets to seal the game on Day 4.

Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj picked up a pair of wickets during the opening session as India moved within sight of victory at lunch on the fourth day of the first Test against Australia in Perth.

Siraj claimed the key wickets of Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith with some superb fast bowling as Australia moved to 104/5 after one session on Monday and still requiring a further 430 runs for an unlikely victory.

Australia lost the dangerous Travis Head soon after Lunch on a well-made 89, as Bumrah snapped his third wicket of the innings, breaking a solid 81-run sixth-wicket stand. Four overs later, Nitish Reddy bowled Mitchell Marsh (47) to leave Australia reeling on 182/7.

Washington Sundar ended Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc's stubborn resistance just before Tea as India inched closer to a big win in Perth. The end of the 45-run partnership was down to Dhruv Jurel's brilliance, who pulled off a stunning one-handed catch at short leg to dismiss Starc.

Sundar struck again on the other side of the break, deceiving opposite offie Nathan Lyon with a peach of a delivery to rattle the stumps.

Harshit Rana sealed the win with a brilliant slower delivery that bowled out Carey, wrapping up the proceedings and giving India a comprehensive victory.

It was a game of two halves for both teams. After opting to bat first, India were bowled out for just 150, staring down a heavy defeat.

Jasprit Bumrah, standing in as captain in full-time skipper Rohit Sharma's absence, swung the momentum back in India’s favor with a brilliant five-wicket haul that restricted Australia to just 104.

Despite the pitch easing considerably compared to the first innings, India still had to dig deep with the bat in the second innings. Yashasvi Jaiswal (161) and Virat Kohli (100*) led the charge for the visitors with centuries.