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Seventeen wickets fell on what was an eventful opening day of the first Test match between Australia and India in Perth.
It was a rather sensational day for both bowling attacks, with Australia dismissing India for 150 runs in the first innings, with Josh Hazelwood taking four wickets on day one.
India’s top order failed to impress with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Devdutt Padikkal both being dismissed for no runs.
Virat Kohli also endured a troublesome time at the crease, further compounding his woes from India’s 3-0 series defeat by New Zealand.
The tourists lasted until around 3pm in the afternoon before stepping out to have a crack at Australia’s top order.
It would be, a nightmare start to the series for Australia too, with Jasprit Bumrah dismissing Test debutant Nathan McSweeney for lbw for just 14 runs.
Virat Kohli held his hands up after dropping a sitter of a catch during the first Test against Australia
Kohli (centre) had appeared to take the catch, with his team-mates wheeling away in celebration
Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith followed in successive balls in the sixth over, with Bumrah rejoicing as he clinched he ran riot in the scorching Perth sun.
In the midst of Australia’s early collapse, the Baggy Greens were given a lifeline after ex-captain Kohli dropped a sitter of a catch.
Bumrah steamed in towards Marnus Labuschagne, who errantly clipped the ball out to India’s slips.
The ball flew straight to Kohli, stood in the centre of three fielders.
The former captain dropped to his right, landing on his knees to take the catch and appeared to gather the ball as he fell to the floor.
His team-mates wheeled away in elation that they had captured the wicket of the Queensland batter, but Kohli cut a dismayed figure.
As he fell, the 36-year-old had failed to maintain control of the ball.
His team-mates halted their celebrations, quickly realising the mistake that had transpired.
Fans took to social media to poke fun at the ex-India captain for his shocking dropped catch
But the India cricket superstar cut an anguished figure after he fumbled an edge from Marnus Labuschagne
It came following an eventful day with Australia and India’s batting line-ups both collapsing in Perth
Some fans took to social media to poke fun at the India star, who had somewhat of a day to forget.
‘Good job he scored all those first innings runs,’ one said, firmly tongue-in-cheek.
‘Time for him to retire from tests,’ another said.
‘All that hype around Virat Kohli is only before the start of a tournament,’ one wrote.
‘After the start, it’s just a walking wicket.’
‘Time to give it up Virat,’ another said.
‘How is he still getting selected.’
Labuschagne would be bested by Mohamed Siraj for two runs having faced 52 balls.
Labuschagne would be bested by Mohamed Siraj for two runs having faced 52 balls.
India’s bowlers ripped their way through the Australian batting line-up, with the hosts finishing the day 67-7
Steve Smith was dismissed for no runs Jasprit Bumrah, who trapped the Aussie Test star at the crease
Bumrah would enjoy a fine day at the Optus Stadium taking four wickets for just 17 runs
Despite that, Australia were left teetering on 67-7 in reply to India´s 150 all out as the grassy and bouncy Perth Stadium pitch caused havoc on the opening day of the Border-Gavaskar series on Friday.
Skipper and fast bowler Bumrah led the Indian attack with 4-17 and fellow fast bowler Siraj took 2-17 on a difficult day for batting.
Left-handers Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc will resume Saturday on 19 and 6 runs, respectively, as Australia trails India by 83 runs.
Unseasonal rain had the wicket covered in the week leading up to the test resulting in a lavish layer of grass to complement the traditional bounce of Perth pitches.
Bumrah ended Nathan McSweeney´s 10-ball debut by trapping the opener leg before wicket. He then returned two overs later to claim opener Usman Khawaja (8) and Steve Smith for nought off successive balls. Khawaja was caught by Virat Kohli at second slip and then Smith was trapped lbw.
Left-hander Travis Head thwarted Bumrah´s hopes of a hit trick but on 11 he played down the wrong line and was bowled off stump to give debutant fast bowler Harshit Rana his maiden test wicket.
Mitchell Marsh fell to a catch by KL Rahul at third slip off Siraj to leave Australia in a similar predicament to India in the morning when it won the toss and batted.
As the shadows lengthened Bumrah returned for his second spell and immediately removed his counterpart Cummins caught behind by wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.
Test debutant Nathan McSweeney was also dismissed for lbw, despite scoring 10 runs
Despite their batting collapse, Australia enjoyed a fine start in the field, holding India to a first-innings score of just 150 runs
Yashasvi Jaiswal (pictured, front) and Devdutt Padikkal were both dismissed for no runs
In the first two sessions, seam bowler Josh Hazlewood broke the back of the Indian batting with 4-29 helped by swing bowlers Starc (2-24), Cummins (2-67) and Marsh (2-12).
Indian had slumped to 73-6 either side of the lunch break before Pant (37) and debutant and top-scorer Nitish Kumar Reddy (41) saved face with a 48-run eighth wicket stand.
Scoring runs was not easy on a pitch that offered bounce and sideways movement to Hazlewood and Starc, who claimed 400 test wickets between them to become the first Australian new-ball pair to achieve that feat.
“It is a good day to be a fast bowler,” Starc said. “Both teams bowled well today. There was plenty on the wicket … bit of swing, sideways movement, good pace and carry.”
Reddy, 21, hammered six fours and a six off 59 balls and took the attack to offspinner Nathan Lyon as he twice hit him down the ground and reverse swept in quick succession. He then parried Cummin behind the wicketkeeper for a six before holding out to deep mid-wicket where Khawaja took a running outfield catch. Two balls before, Khawaja dropped Reddy as he skied Cummins.
Earlier, Reddy on 10 survived a catch at the wicket after the Australians failed to refer a catch down legside as the TV replay showed a spike as the ball brushed past the gloves off Starc.
Pant was uncharacteristically circumspect in the company of the junior partner and hit a six and three fours in his 78-ball innings before Cummins had him caught by Smith at second slip.
India was teetering on 51-4 at lunch as the decision to bat first backfired sensationally.
Kohi’s batting woes also seem to have carried over into this series after he was dismissed for five runs off 12 balls
Openers Jashasvi Jaisval (0), Rahul (26), Devdutt Padikkal (0) and star batsman Kohli (5) fell before lunch as India rued its decision to bat.
Opening the batting in the absence of Rohit Sharma, Rahul on 19 completed 3,000 test runs in his 54th test match.
Starc in particular was unplayable in his opening five-over spell during which he had lefthander Jaisval caught at gully by test debutant Nathan McSweeney.
Hazlewood, who was rested after a three-over burst, returned to the attack to replace Starc and in the space of 15 balls removed Paddikal and Kohli.
Padikkal survived 23 balls as he repeatedly played and missed against Starc before Hazlewood had him caught behind by wicketkeeper Carey.
Two overs later, Kohli, having arrived at the crease to the thunderous applause from a record 31,302 opening-day crowd for a test at the Perth Stadium, was surprised by a Hazlewood delivery that bounced disconcertingly and flew off the shoulder of the bat to first slip Khawaja.
Australia and India are one-two in the World Test Championship standings.