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It’s entertaining to witness a day of Test cricket where the outcome is a foregone conclusion, a day where the play doesn’t even impact the match’s result. Not that any day of cricket genuinely holds significant consequences, but a day like Monday in Perth, where India possessed a substantial lead of 522 runs and two days to claim seven wickets on a pitch already exhibiting erratic bounce, rendering the match’s outcome inevitable.
Travis Head’s aggressive 89 runs and Mitchell Marsh’s powerful sixes on his way to 47 were thrilling, but ultimately didn’t alter the match’s trajectory. Usman Khawaja, renowned for his ability to bat for extended periods, fell quickly to a ill-fated pull shot, misjudging the bounce. Steve Smith, often considered a player capable of batting for a day and a half, has, however, consistently struggled in this aspect of his game, with 70% of his career runs coming in the team’s first innings. His dismissal for 17 runs only underscored Australia’s batting woes.
Australia has endured several demoralizing defeats in the past decade, but this loss stands out. Unlike previous drubbings, where the opposing team dominated from the start, Australia had been in a commanding position after bowling first. Their bowlers had delivered a spectacular performance, backed by exceptional fielding, only to see their batting collapse. The post-match analysis that writes off this Australian team as doomed will overlook the excellence of that performance.
The Indian team, however, staged a stunning comeback from their initial collapse, with Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul forming the sixth opening pair to ever achieve a double-century stand while touring Australia. The subsequent batting effort, which saw India bat for almost three sessions without losing a wicket, left the Australian team bewildered and toiling. As the Indian batting continued to grind out runs, the Australians’ expressions seemed to convey a sense of confusion and despair, as if to say, “How did this happen?”
The Australians’ ability to deal with this question will be crucial. The current team culture emphasizes staying calm and not overreacting to adverse results, an approach that worked after two heavy losses in India last year. However, the public will be far less forgiving, and the search for answers will begin. The question of how to prevent such a collapse will be the primary concern.
India’s historic win is a testament to their team’s depth and resilience. With a young opener in Yashasvi Jaiswal, a veteran middle-order batsman in Virat Kohli, and a world-class fast bowler, India is well-equipped to challenge Australia in the series. Their next Test will be a crucial encounter, especially with 10 days separating the two matches, but India has given itself the perfect start in pursuit of a rare three consecutive Test wins in Australia.
And while Australia grapples with the aftermath, India celebrates an epochal Test match result in a country that, until 2018, had never seen them win a series, and since 2019, has witnessed nothing but triumphs. Their past two Test tours of Australia have yielded thrilling matches, but never a comprehensive victory like this one, the sort that can send the opposing team into disarray.
