Australia thumped India in the first Test by eight wickets after India were bundled out for just 36 runs in the opening session. This is India’s lowest score in 88 years of Test cricket.
With just 90 to win, Australian openers Mathew Wade and Joe Burns stitched together 70 runs for the first wicket. Burns remained not out on 51 while Wade got was dismissed on 33.
The visitors resumed the day on 9-1 with a lead of 62, but could only add 27 runs to the total. Aussies pace bowlers Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins were the chief destroyers. Hazlewood ended with figures of 5 for 8 while Pat Cummins, the number one bowler in Tests picked up 4 for 21. No Indian batsmen could enter double figures with Mayank Agarwal top-scoring with just 9.
It was Cummins who started the show today by picking up two key wickets of Cheteshwar Pujara and captain Virat Kohli. After the early blows India never really recovered. Australia just 90 runs to win the test and go 1-0 up in the series.
India now have six days to figure several questions that will confront them ahead of the Boxing Day Test. And they will have to do it without Virat Kohli, who will be back in India from next week on paternity leave.
