Jasprit Bumrah gave India a steady start, picking up three wickets in the space of 14 deliveries, including getting two-in-two during the first Australia Test on Friday (November 22).

India collapsed to 150 after electing to bat first, making their lowest Test total in the first innings in Australia. The visitors needed a strong performance from their bowlers to make a comeback on day one, and their stand-in skipper Bumrah proceeded to do just that, picking up debutant Nathan McSweeney for 10, before getting Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith off successive deliveries in his fourth over.

Bumrah got Khawaja with a short of a length delivery that nipped away, as the batter managed a thick edge to Virat Kohli, who had dropped an easy catch of Marnus Labuschagne earlier. With the next ball, Bumrah struck Smith on the pads, trapping him lbw for a golden duck. Bumrah’s figures after his first four overs read 4-2-7-3.

It was the second time in more than a decade that Smith made a first-ball duck in Test cricket. The last time he managed the unwanted record was against South Africa. Incidentally, he had been trapped leg-before on that occasion as well, falling to Dale Steyn.

It was also Bumrah’s 129th Test wicket away from home, making him the fifth-most successful quick overseas for India. In 29 Tests away from India, Bumrah averages 21.39 at the time of writing, the best among the top five pacers on the list, led by Kapil Dev (215 wickets).

Australia were soon reduced to 31-4 and then 38-5.

Smith’s poor run of form continued with the innings. He has not scored a Test ton since June last year, making 365 runs in 15 innings since then at an average of 30.41.

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