Recap: Australia limit India to 150 as Hazlewood shines

PERTH: Australia’s Josh Hazlewood shined as he dismissed four batters, helping the Aussies to limit India to a mere 150 runs in their first innings on Friday.

HAZLEWOOD

Hazlewood began his dominance in the 11th over, dismissing Devdutt Padikkal after his delivery found the edge of the Indian batsman’s bat on its way to the gloves of Australian wicket keeper Alex Carey. Padikkal was sent off for a duck despite facing 23 deliveries.

Six overs later in the 17th, Hazlewood would dismiss Virat Kohli finding the top edge of the Indian superstar’s bat which sent the balls straight to first slip where Usman Khawaja took the catch. Kohli only managed to make five runs off the 12 deliveries he faced, continuing his recent poor performances in tests which began in October against New Zealand.

It would be a while before Hazlewood struck again, but another breakthrough eventually came in the 47^th over. The Australian fast bowler dismissed Harshit Rana after his delivery found a thick edge. The ball hurtled off the bat to Nathan McSweeney who dived but couldn’t hold on to the ball. Thankfully for Australia Marnus Labuschagne got the rebound.

Relaxed Bumrah enjoying responsibility of India’s captaincy

Hazlewood’s last dismissal of the innings came in the 49th over, as he dismissed Indian skipper Jasprit Bumrah. Carey took the catch after Hazlewood’s delivery found the edge of Bumrah’s bat, sending the ball to first slip.

STARC, CUMMINS, AND MARSH

Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Marsh, and Australia skipper Pat Cummins each took two wickets. Starc was the first to strike, dismissing Yashasvi Jaiswal in the third over for a duck. Jaiswal, desperate to put some runs on the board got a little aggressive, and ended up edging the ball gully where McSweeney took the catch.

Starc’s second wicket came after a review in the 23rd over. As the ball passed KL Rahul’s bat, UltraEdge showed a spike before the ball landed in Carey’s gloves, which was enough for the decision to be reversed.

Marsh got his first wicket in the 28th over, as Dhruv Jurel attempted to defend, instead sending the ball to Marnus who took a great low catch. His second wicket came not long after in the 32^nd over. This time it was Washington Sundar who fell after the delivery from Marsh brushed against the Indian batters’ gloves before Carey took the catch.

Former cricketer Nazir Junior passes away at 78

Cummins two wickets came in the 46th and 50th overs, the latter of which ended the innings. Rishabh Pant fell after a full delivery from Cummins found the edge of Pant’s bat, leading to a catch taken at second slip by Steven Smith. The last wicket of the innings fell after Nitish Kumar Reddy pulled the ball to Usman Khawaja. Reddy put on the best batting performance for India, scoring 41 runs off the 59 deliveries he faced, hitting six fours and one six in the process.