Jaiswal and Kohli’s Centuries Put India on Track for Victory as Bumrah Strikes Late in Australia Collapse

India’s dominance continued in the first Test against Australia at Optus Stadium, as they declared their second innings at 487/6, thanks to brilliant centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal (161) and Virat Kohli (100*). The Indian team is now on the brink of victory, with Australia reeling at 12/3, still needing 522 runs to win after a dramatic collapse late on day three.

Jaiswal’s scintillating knock was a masterclass in technique, while Kohli’s century added to the growing pressure on Australia. Jaiswal’s stunning century included a memorable six, after he ramped a bouncer from Josh Hazlewood to the boundary marker. Despite a mix-up between the openers that nearly led to a run-out, Jaiswal remained composed and added crucial runs to the board. The opening partnership between Jaiswal and KL Rahul (77) was the first-ever double-century stand for India in Australia, before Rahul was dismissed by Mitchell Starc.

In the final moments of the day, Australia faced a nightmare scenario as they lost three quick wickets. Stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah started the collapse, dismissing Nathan McSweeney for a duck, followed by wickets to Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, leaving Australia at 12/3 by stumps. Bumrah’s remarkable figures of 2/1 from just 2.2 overs highlighted India’s control of the match.

With temperatures hitting 36°C, the pitch showed signs of uneven bounce, which will likely aid India’s bowlers in the final push for victory. Australia now faces a daunting task, needing to recover from a dismal collapse to stand any chance of avoiding defeat in the first Test.