Bumrah leads team to biggest Test win on Australian soil

PTI Perth: Jasprit Bumrah led a feisty bunch of Indian cricketers to their most dominant Test victory on Australian soil, winning by a massive 295 runs in a remarkable turnaround that will find a pride of place among the country's golden moments in international cricket. The stand-in skipper led by example with a match-haul of 8/72 as India bowled out the hosts, who were in pursuit of a mammoth 534, for 238 in 58.4 overs on the fourth afternoon of the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy here. The victory propelled India back to the top of the World Test Championship standings with 61.11 percentage points. India's previous biggest winning margin in terms of runs was 222 during a 1977-78 series game in Melbourne when Australia played an under-strength side due to mass exodus for the Kerry Packer World Series.

India are now 1-0 up in the five-Test series with regular skipper Rohit Sharma ready to take over during the Day/Night game starting December 6 in Adelaide. "We were put under pressure in the first innings, but the way we responded was great," a smiling Bumrah, who was deservedly adjudged man of the match, said after the game. "I played here in 2018 - I remember the wicket started soft. This one was less spicy, we were really well prepared. I told everyone to keep faith...If you have faith in your abilities, then you can do something special," he added. While Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul will be among the heroes with their solid second innings batting performances, it was Bumrah's unbelievable skill-set and self belief during Australia's first innings rout that formed the cornerstone of India's win. Not many teams have come back after being 150 all-out on the first day but this Indian team has time and again showed that it is built different. Prior to the Test, Bumrah spoke about embracing challenges and he did walk the talk during all four days.

It was evident from the manner in which he allowed Mohammed Siraj (match haul of five wickets), debutants Harshit Rana (match haul of four wickets) and Nitish Reddy (41 and 37 not out and one wicket) bowl from the Member's End so that they can get extra help due to the ball keeping very low. Washington Sundar (two wickets and 29 runs), who was preferred after the team management felt that Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja with 850 plus Test wickets between them, would not be as effective on this track, also did his bit in mopping up the tail. The victory will bear greater significance because of India's shocking 0-3 whitewash at home by New Zealand. With three of their automatic first team selections in skipper Rohit, talented Shubman Gill and bowling artist Mohammed Shami ruled out due to different reasons, Bumrah, leading in only his second Test, was left with a lot to do and less options to work with.

Gabba 2021 evokes nostalgia for every Indian cricket fan but Perth 2024 will certainly be right up there considering that no one, save those eleven and the few others in that change room, could have believed that something like this is possible. Often the job of deputies in cricket is an understated one but it is all about making it easy for the general in charge.

Gambhir Moves; Credit must also go to head coach Gautam Gambhir, who copped a lot of flak after the defeat to the Black Caps and it was widely believed that rookies Reddy and Harshit got Test caps on his insistence. Gambhir, who seldom smiles, could afford a grin under the Perth Sun as the burly Harshit and the sinewy Nitish didn't deviate from the script handed to them for the better part of the game.