Shami, Ashwin and Jadeja combine to bowl out Australia for 263 on Day 1 of Delhi Test

Mohammed Shami (4/60), Ravichandran Ashwin (3/57), and Ravindra Jadeja (3/68) shone on Day 1 of the second Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023 Test as India bowled out Australia for 263.

The Aussies batted first after winning the toss and got off to a resilient start. However, India kept chipping away at the wickets. Barring Usman Khawaja (81) and Peter Handscomb (72*), the rest of the Australian batters yet again disappointed. In response, India went to Stumps at 21/0. Rohit Sharma was given out caught at short leg off Nathan Lyon in the last over of the day but got the decision overturned as he did not hit it.

After the Aussies won the toss and batted first, Khawaja looked in good nick, hitting three fours in the first three overs. David Warner was circumspect at the other end and took 21 balls to get off the mark. He was adjudged lbw to Shami in the very first over but got the decision overturned via DRS as the ball hit the bat.

A couple of fours off Shami in the 14th over saw Australia reach 50 without the loss of any wickets. However, the Indian pacer had his man very soon. He got one to straighten from round the wicket and forced Warner (15) to nick the ball to the keeper. Marnus Labuschagne came in and took on Shami, smacking him for two fours in one over. Labuschagne and Khawaja made an attempt to be positive against the spinners as well.

Ashwin, however, dealt a double blow to Australia, dismissing Labuschagne (18) and Steve Smith (0) in the same over. Labuschagne was trapped lbw as the off-spinner beat his defense from round the wicket. India used a smart review to overturn the original decision. No DRS was needed for Smith’s dismissal as the ace batter edged a delivery outside off.

Khawaja got an lbw decision overturned off Jadeja’s bowling and went on to bring up his half-century off 71 balls. Australia lost Travis Head (12) in the second session as he flashed at one from Shami outside off-stump and KL Rahul took a good overhead catch at slip.

Khawaja and Handscomb added 59 runs for the fifth wicket to put the visitors in a decent position. However, India gained the ascendancy again, claiming two big wickets before tea.

Khawaja’s resistance ended on 81 when he uppishly reverse-swept Jadeja, only for Rahul to pull off a one-handed blinder. With the scalp, Jadeja became the second quickest player in history to complete a double of 2500 runs and 250 wickets in Test cricket.

Ashwin then produced a brute to send Alex Carey back for a duck. The off-spinner got one to bounce and straighten from around the wicket and Carey could only edge the ball to slip. Australia went to tea at a disappointing 199/6.

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Jadeja and Shami run through Australia’s lower-order

A seventh-wicket stand of 59 between Handscomb and skipper Pat Cummins took Australia past the 225-run mark. Cummins displayed some aggression, striking Ashwin for two sixes even as Handscomb brought up a defiant half-century at the other end.

Jadeja’s double strike, however, put India on top again. Cummins’ resistance ended for 33 when he was trapped lbw by a full delivery that beat his defensive stroke. Todd Murphy (0) was then bowled through the gate by a delivery that turned back in sharply.

Nathan Lyon (10) came in and struck Shami for a couple of fours before being castled by the pacer with a full and straight delivery. Handscomb was caught at cover off Jadeja, but the delivery was declared a no-ball. It was Shami who ended Australia’s innings by knocking over debutant Matthew Kuhnemann (six).