India began their tour of Australia in emphatic fashion, clinching a resounding 295-run victory in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25 at the Optus Stadium, Perth. After a shaky start in their first innings, where they were bowled out for 150, the Indian bowlers turned the tide with a fiery performance, bundling out Australia for 104 and gaining a 46-run lead. The visitors capitalized on this momentum with a stellar second innings led by Yashasvi Jaiswal's monumental 161 and Virat Kohli's commanding 30th Test century. Contributions from KL Rahul (77) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (38*) helped India post a massive total of 487/6 declared, setting Australia an improbable target of 534 runs.

The Indian bowlers, spearheaded by Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, dismantled Australia’s batting lineup across the final two days. By stumps on Day 3, Australia were reduced to 12/3, and despite some resistance from Travis Head (89) and Mitchell Marsh (47) on Day 4, the hosts succumbed to relentless pressure. Bumrah and Siraj claimed three wickets each as Australia were bowled out for 238. The comprehensive win gave India a 1-0 lead in the five-match series, showcasing their resilience and dominance on Australian soil.

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King Kohli’s Class at Perth: A Masterful Knock in the BGT

Virat Kohli showcased a masterful performance at the Optus Stadium, guiding India to a dominant position with his 81st international century. His innings was a blend of elegance and grit, with his iconic cover drive contributing to 31% of his runs. Kohli's ability to punish loose deliveries while maintaining control over his innings exemplified his dominance against the Australian bowling attack. The maestro's knock was not just about the big shots; it was also a testament to his ability to absorb pressure and capitalize on scoring opportunities.

Kohli demonstrated exceptional discipline against full-length deliveries, maintaining a 42.8% dot ball rate across 42 balls. However, his composure was most evident against good-length deliveries, where he recorded a dot ball rate of 73.58% in 53 balls, ensuring he saw off the testing spells. Against the back-of-a-length deliveries, his dot percentage stood at 73.1% over 41 balls, while he attacked the shorter ones with more aggression, leaving a dot rate of just 50% in 8 balls. These statistics highlight how Kohli strategically chose his moments to attack, showing respect to the Australian seamers when conditions favored them.

A key aspect of Kohli’s innings was his strike rotation. While facing pacers, his strike rotation rate was a modest 23.28%, reflecting the challenging conditions and the quality of Australia’s fast bowlers. However, against spinners, Kohli was far more fluent, rotating the strike at a rate of 35.21%. This balance allowed India to keep the scoreboard moving steadily, frustrating the Australians as Kohli built crucial partnerships with the middle and lower order. His overall strike rate of 69.23 epitomized the mix of caution and aggression in his knock.

When it came to tackling individual bowlers, Kohli’s efficiency varied significantly. Against Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne, his consecutive scoring shot percentages were 68.66% and 70%, respectively, reflecting his dominance against their spin bowling. However, Nathan Lyon proved to be a tougher opponent, limiting Kohli to just 39.85% scoring shots. Among the pacers, Hazlewood restricted him the most effectively with a mere 14.28% scoring rate, followed by Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins at 28.62% and 29.41%, respectively. Cameron Green provided some respite for Australia, but Kohli still managed a scoring rate of 40% against him, displaying his adaptability.

Kohli’s century at Perth was not just a personal milestone but a statement of intent from a player marching towards new heights in his illustrious career. It was an innings marked by calculated risks, textbook strokes, and a remarkable ability to weather the storm. This knock not only reaffirmed Kohli's status as one of the modern greats but also set the tone for India to maintain their stranglehold in the Test. The King’s brilliance left Australia searching for answers, as they faced an uphill battle to stay in the game.

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It was a dream day for Team India at the Optus Stadium, as they thoroughly dominated the proceedings on Day 3 of the crucial Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test. Resuming at an overnight score of 172/0, the opening pair of KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal added 29 more runs before Mitchell Starc ended the mammoth partnership, dismissing Rahul for 77. Jaiswal, unfazed by the fall of wickets, notched up his fourth Test century—his first on Australian soil—with a stunning six. A brief collapse saw Devdutt Padikkal (25), Rishabh Pant, and Dhruv Jurel dismissed cheaply, but Virat Kohli stood firm, anchoring the innings with a majestic 30th Test hundred. Supported by Washington Sundar (29) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (38* off 27), Kohli led India to a declaration at 487/6, giving them an imposing 533-run lead.

With the ball, the Indian pacers wreaked havoc in the final session. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj bowled fiery spells under the lights, reducing Australia to a disastrous 12/3 in just 4.2 overs. Debutant Nathan McSweeney departed for a duck, captain Pat Cummins' gamble to bat at number three failed, and an out-of-form Marnus Labuschagne added to Australia’s woes with just three runs before losing his wicket and a review. The cracks on the pitch and uneven bounce have made batting treacherous, leaving Australia facing an uphill battle to chase down 534 runs with only seven wickets in hand. It was a Super Sunday for the Indians, who now stand on the brink of taking the lead in the five-match series.

Breakdown of Jaiswal's 161 analysis 

Yashasvi Jaiswal delivered a batting masterclass on Day 3 of the third Test against Australia, showcasing remarkable composure and adaptability in testing conditions. Walking in on 72* overnight, the young left-hander anchored the innings to perfection and brought up his fourth Test hundred, his first on Australian soil. Jaiswal's innings was defined by his ability to absorb pressure and build partnerships, contributing significantly to India’s mammoth lead of 533 runs. His milestone came in style, dispatching Nathan Lyon for a six, a testament to his confidence and skill.

A closer look at Jaiswal's approach reveals a nuanced handling of lengths. Against full-length deliveries, he played cautiously, registering a dot ball percentage of 59.6% across 57 deliveries. However, it was on good-length deliveries where he demonstrated immense patience, with an 80.2% dot-ball percentage over 101 balls, highlighting his focus on seeing off the probing spells of Australia’s pacers. On back-of-length and short deliveries, his dot-ball percentages were 71.6% and 65.6%, respectively, as he picked his moments to attack selectively while maintaining a solid defense.

Jaiswal's strike rotation played a key role in keeping the scoreboard ticking, especially against spinners, where he rotated the strike at an impressive rate of 35.21%. Against pacers, his strike rotation dropped to 18.85%, reflecting his cautious approach to counter the pace and bounce of the Australian seamers. His adaptability in tailoring his approach based on the type of bowling ensured India maintained momentum despite periodic breakthroughs for the hosts.

The young opener was particularly effective against Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne, with consecutive scoring shot percentages of 54.54% and 50% against them, respectively. This aggression ensured that the spinners could not settle into a rhythm. In contrast, against the pace attack of Mitchell Starc (31.88%), Pat Cummins (31.34%), and Josh Hazlewood (13.11%), Jaiswal focused on minimizing risk and accumulating runs methodically. His lower scoring rate against the pacers demonstrated his maturity in adapting to the game situation, ensuring he prioritized building a substantial lead.

Jaiswal's knock was not just a personal milestone but a pivotal effort in putting India in a commanding position. His mix of calculated aggression, solid defense, and strategic strike rotation disrupted Australia’s plans, showcasing the making of a modern Test opener. As the team declared their innings, the significance of Jaiswal’s performance resonated with the crowd at the Optus Stadium, affirming his growing stature as a reliable performer on the biggest stage.

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