India defeats Australia in 1st Test match at Nagpur; Jadeja, Ashwin destroy famed Aussie batting line up in under 3 days

India thrashed Australia by an innings and 132 runs inside three days in the opening Test to take a 1-0 lead in the four-match series here on Saturday.

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin (5/37) returned with a five-wicket haul as India shot off Australia for 91 in 32.3 overs in their second innings just before tea.
Australia conceded a massive first-innings lead of 223.

Bowling a probing length, Ashwin ran through the Australian top order and annexed his 31st fifer in just his 10th over, before Ravindra Jadeja (2/34), Mohammed Shami (2/13) and Axar Patel (1/6) completed the formalities.

On day 3, the lower-order Indian batters continued to plunder runs as the hosts raised 400 before getting all out at around lunch on the third day. Axar Patel made 84 while Mohammed Shami slammed 37 as India took a massive 223-run lead in the first innings here on Saturday.

#TeamIndia win by an innings & 132 runs and take a 1-0 lead in the series

What a start to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023

Scorecard https://t.co/SwTGoyHfZx…#INDvAUS | @mastercardindia pic.twitter.com/jCVDsoJ3i6

— BCCI (@BCCI) February 11, 2023

Australia’s wickets fell like nine pins with the opener Usman Khawaja biting the dust at the start of the second inning of the five-day Test match. The Indian skipper Rohit Sharma handed the new ball to pacer Mohammed Shami, who bowled three overs.

Spinners continued their stellar show in the second inning as Ashwin, who dismissed Khawaja and Jadeja followed it up by trapping Labuschagne. Ashwin got left-handed batters out early on the third day and it was just Steve Smith who was holding on Australia’s camp from one side.

Resuming at the overnight score of 321/7, India added 79 runs to their total in just overs on the third morning with Axar Patel and Mohammed Shami raising 52 runs for the ninth wicket after Patel and Ravindra Jadeja had capitalised on the platform provided by skipper Rohit Sharma on the second day with a magnificent century.

Patel was the last man to get out, as a Pat Cummins delivery sneaked in and clipped the off stump and bail fell off. Patel played a vital innings for India, scoring 84 runs during a 174-ball stay at the wicket during which he struck 10 boundaries and one six.

Patel and Shami then raised 52 runs for the ninth wicket, playing at a fast clip as India decided to add as many runs as possible. Shami blasted three sixes and two fours during his 47-ball 37 that added to Australia`s woes.

The Aussies had prepared themselves for a snake pit of a wicket that was specially prepared to render the left-handed batsmen packed in their lineup hors de combat.

But ironically, it were two left-handed batters in the Indian lineup -- Jadeja and Patel -- that took the match away from them with a crucial partnership for the eighth wicket.

However, there was a silver lining for the visitors too as rookie off-spinner Todd Murphy bowled brilliantly, used the conditions well to add two more wickets to his tall for a seven-wicket haul on debut.

Murphy gave Australia the early breakthrough on the third morning that they so desired, by cleaning up Jadeja for 70 off 185 balls.

With the ball spinning a little more and bouncing at times, playing from the South End or the Pavilion End looks more difficult and the Australians pressed Murphy into action from that end.

With Agencies Inputs