Australia were reduced to 38-5 by India on day one of the 2024/25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Perth today (November 22), slipping to their second-worst start in a home Test match this century.
Having lost the toss and been asked to field first, Australia still spent a considerable amount of time batting on day one after bowling India out for 150. It was India's joint-lowest score when batting first in a Test match in Australia, alongside their 150 all-out at Sydney in 2000. It was also the third-worst total in Australia for a team who chose the bat first.
However, India stormed back into the game when they got their hands on the ball. Stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah took a wicket in his second over, trapping debutant Nathan McSweeney lbw before Virat Kohli made up for a drop by clinging on to an edge from Usman Khawaja in the slips to give Bumrah a second wicket.
Bumrah made it two in two with his next ball which trapped Steve Smith lbw for a first-ball duck. India debutant Harshit Rana then joined the action by bowling Travis Head with a beauty for his maiden wicket, before Mohammed Siraj dismissed Mitchell Marsh to leave Australia five down having score just 38 runs.
A scratchy innings from Marnus Labuschagne after surviving an early reprieve from Virat Kohli.
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) November 22, 2024
Scorecard ➡️ https://t.co/r64ntQ4mIM pic.twitter.com/87DcnxMjJA
That's the second-lowest number of runs for which Australia have lost five wickets in a home Test this century, only beaten by their infamous collapse to South Africa in Hobart in 2016 when they were reduced to 5-17.
Siraj went on to dismiss Marnus Labuschagne in Perth, leaving them 47-6 in the evening of day one and still trailing India by 103. That is also the second-lowest number of runs for which Australia have lost six wickets in a home Test this century, once again only beaten by the South Africa Test match in 2016 (31-6).
However, Bumrah also managed to dismiss Pat Cummins before the end of play, leaving Australia 59-7. That's joint-least amount of runs Australia have lost seven wickets for in a home Test this century, equalling the Hobart Test in 2016.
Full list: Australia's worst starts in home Tests this century
Score | Opposition | Ground | Year |
17-5* | South Africa | Hobart | 2016 |
38-5 | India | Perth | 2024 |
43-5 | South Africa | Perth | 2012 |
51-5 | Pakistan | Sydney | 2010 |
54-5 | West Indies | Brisbane | 2024 |
58-5 | New Zealand | Hobart | 2011 |
59-5 | England | Hobart | 2022 |
61-5 | India | Perth | 2008 |
66-5 | England | Melbourne | 2010 |
69-5 | England | Perth | 2010 |
*Australia were later reduced to 31-6 by South Africa in Hobart, which is the lowest score for which they've lost six wickets in a Test this century.
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