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Head resistance a rare shining light for Australia

3 minute read

India are 1-0 up in the five-Test Border-Gavaskar series after crushing Australia by 295 runs in Perth.

AUSTRALIA v INDIA, first Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test, Optus Stadium, day four.

SCORE: India 150 and 6-487 declared; Australia 104 and 238. India win by 295 runs to go 1-0 up in the five-Test series. 

SUMMARY: Australia started day four at 3-12, chasing a near-impossible 534 for victory. They slumped to 4-17 when an ugly Usman Khawaja hook shot skied into the air and was easily caught. Travis Head (89) and Mitch Marsh (47) combined for an 82-run partnership. But when Head edged Jasprit Bumrah behind and Marsh chopped on, the end was inevitable. India took the game away from the home side on Sunday with their superb second-innings score of 6-487 declared, which featured centuries from opener Yashasvi Jaiswal (161) and Virat Kohli (100no).

PLAYER OF THE MOMENT: Travis Head. With winning out of the equation, all Australia could hope for on day four was to earn back a bit of pride and respect. Head did exactly that with his 101-ball knock of 89. On the deteriorating wicket, he stuck to his attacking style and peeled off eight boundaries. It should give him a huge dose of confidence heading into the day-night Test in Adelaide. Stand-in India captain Bumrah was the key player across the Test with figures of 5-30 and 3-42.

STAT OF THE DAY: 18.8. That is Bumrah's bowling average against Australia in Australia. He has taken 40 wickets in eight Tests Down Under - a remarkable effort on enemy territory. Australia are in grave danger of losing to India at home for a third straight Test series unless they can figure out a way to deal with Bumrah. 

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "What the Indian dressing room will be thinking when they hear something like that is we know there are some cracks on the pitch, but there are some mental cracks as well in the opposition." - Former India coach Ravi Shastri questions Australia's attitude after paceman Josh Hazlewood said he and his fellow bowlers were already casting their thoughts to the next Test in Adelaide after the team slumped to 3-12 chasing 534 for victory in Perth on Sunday night. 

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