Aussie bowlers dominate as India crumble on Day 1 of Border-Gavaskar Trophy opener

PERTH: The hosts gained a significant upper hand on the first day of the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy as India struggled to 82/6 by the end of two sessions. India's top order faltered under the relentless pace attack of the Australian bowlers, leaving the visitors in a precarious position.

Indian skipper Jasprit Bumrah, who won the toss and opted to bat first, saw his plans unravel quickly. The opening partnership ended disastrously, with Yashasvi Jaiswal falling for a duck in the second over, leaving the team at 5/1. Number three batter Devdutt Padikkal failed to anchor the innings, facing 23 deliveries without scoring before being dismissed.

Veteran batter Virat Kohli (5) also fell cheaply, nicking a delivery from Josh Hazlewood to Usman Khawaja at slips. Contributions from Dhruv Jurel (11) and Washington Sundar (4) were equally underwhelming, as the Indian batting line-up failed to counter Australia's clinical bowling.

Australia’s pacers shared the spoils, with Mitchell Starc, Hazlewood and all-rounder Mitchell Marsh claiming two wickets each. The disciplined bowling effort left Indian fans disappointed, especially given the high stakes of this five-match series.

India need to win the series to secure a spot in the World Test Championship final, making this series pivotal after their recent 0-3 loss to New Zealand at home. However, their dismal start has raised concerns about their batting depth and strategy against Australia's potent pace attack.