India outplay Australia by 295 runs in Perth Test , lead series & WTC points table

 

Team India has managed to win a Test match in Perth only once. Team India has now repeated that historic feat. On the fast and bouncy track of Perth, the Indian flag flew high as they crushed Australia’s dominance. With a comprehensive victory over Pat Cummins and his team, India took a 1-0 lead in the series—despite missing star players like Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill.

India entered the series carrying a host of challenges: a shocking home performance against New Zealand with a 0-3 series loss , uncertainties surrounding their World Test Championship qualification, and injuries to key players. Shubman Gill was ruled out due to an injury sustained during practice, while Rohit Sharma had to remain in India for personal reasons. Critics had predicted that this troubled Indian side would crumble against the fiery pace of Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins.

Those fears seemed justified during the first innings when India was bowled out for just 150 runs. Even the most optimistic fans could not have imagined a comeback. However, captain Jasprit Bumrah never lost hope. The Indian pace attack, led by Mohammed Siraj and Harshit Rana, responded with an equally fiery display, skittling Australia out for a mere 104. This marked the beginning of India’s fightback.

What followed was a remarkable performance by India’s batters. At the Optus Stadium in Perth, Yashasvi Jaiswal led the charge with a career-defining 161, supported by  KL Rahul’s return to form with a vital 77 as he played like a proper test opener and Kohli's 81st 100 . India piled up a mammoth 487 runs in their second innings, setting Australia an imposing target of 534. The Australian batters struggled from the outset, losing three wickets for just 12 runs.

Still, Australia’s resilience showed on Day 4 of the Perth Test (part of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy), with Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh putting up a strong fight. Head scored a valiant 89 playing his trademark sparkling strokes  before falling to Bumrah, while debutant Nitish Reddy claimed his maiden Test wicket by dismissing a confident looking Marsh (47) . Once these two were back in the pavilion, India’s victory was all but sealed. Despite a spirited effort from Alex Carey, Australia was bowled out for 238. India claimed a commanding win by 295 runs.

The main reasons for India's glorious win at Perth was due to the following :

**Indian fast bowlers specially Bumrah performed much better than their Aussie counterparts. 

**Indian batters , especially the openers showed better technique & skill than their Aussie counterparts 

** An ageing Aussie  team which a few of their top batters not in their best form 

** Toss became a vital factor , with pitch producing  more variable bounce as the test progressed .

This was only the second time in Test history that India has won in Perth. The previous victory came in the 2007-08 season under Anil Kumble’s leadership. Player of the match Bumrah ( 8 wickets in the game) and his team have now added their names to this prestigious chapter. Up next is the Adelaide Test, a day-night encounter against the Aussies. Can Gautam Gambhir’s “new” India finally exorcise the ghosts of being bowled out for 36 in their last pink-ball Test?

This win has put India once again at the top of the World Test Championships 2023-25 cycle point table . Australia were leading the pack after India were thrashed 0-3 by New Zealand in the home test series but this win has helped India to edge ahead with Australia, Sri Lanka & New Zealand at 2-3-4.  The race for the 2025 WTC final is hotting up .