India destroyed Australia for pitiful scores of 177 and 91 under the leadership of veteran spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja to establish their dominance on home soil.

Relive all the highlights from the action-packed first Test that saw India go 1-0 up in the 4 match series.

Australia Batting Collapses Against Indian Spin Onslaught

Having opted to bat first after winning the toss, Australia soon discovered the folly of their decision. Indian spin twins Ashwin and Jadeja ran riot on a viciously turning Nagpur pitch to bundle out the visitors for a below par 177 in just 63.5 overs.

Only Steve Smith (37) and Alex Carey (36) offered any meaningful resistance against scintillating Indian bowling. Ashwin bamboozled the Aussies to claim 5 wickets for just 47 runs in 23 high-quality overs. Jadeja proved an idealfoil, chipping in with 3 scalps as Australian wilted within two sessions.

Pujara Powers India’s Reply

In response, the Indian top order also found runs difficult to come by against Australia’s relentless pace barrage on a deteriorating surface offering variable bounce. But veteran Cheteshwar Pujara held anchor with a gritty 31 off 94 balls before India collapsed from 85-2 to 120 all out just after Lunch on Day 2.

Pace leader Cummins deserved rich praise for a hostile 5 wicket haul that exposed India’s flawed techniques against extreme pace and bounce. All-rounder Axar Patel top-scored with a counter-attacking 84 as India gained a slender 1st innings lead of 57 runs.

Ashwin Strikes Five Again to End Australian Resistance

With three full days left, India chose against enforcing the follow-on. Australia now faced the grim challenge of batting fourth on an increasingly treacherous pitch against Indian spinners at their peak.

They never recovered after Ashwin removed both openers cheaply within the first five overs. Smith and Labuschagne also perished trying to attack Ashwin out of desperation as Australia crumbled to 42-5 by tea. Fittingly, Ashwin completed another five-wicket demolition to shoot out the Aussies for just 91 in 32.3 overs. Only Carey (23*) offered any substantial resistance as India romped to a crushing win.

Jadeja Adjudged Player of the Match

For his lethal 7 wicket match haul and gorgeous fifty in India’s first innings, Ravindra Jadeja claimed the Player of the Match award amidst loud cheers from his home crowd. Jadeja constantly attacked Australian left-handers with his arm ball to polish off the tail in both innings successfully.

His textbook performances highlighted why Jadeja reigns as the world’s top ranked all rounder across formats. Riding high on confidence, expect Jadeja to continue dominating on home pitches.

India Assert Nagpur Dominance

With this victory, India extends their undefeated streak at Nagpur’s VCA Stadium to 6 Test matches spanning over 15 years. Given the raging turn on offer, captain Rohit Sharma astutely exploited home advantage by fielding 4 spinners to exploit Australian batting frailties against spin.

Australia now require urgent soul searching before the Delhi Test to combat Indian conditions better. Otherwise, retaining the Border Gavaskar Trophy looks a lost cause already. For India, gaining an early series lead represents a dream start to consolidate their fortress.

Strap in for more elite India vs Australia Test cricket as the series heads next to Delhi starting February 17th! Will India sustain their dominance? Or can Australia bounce back to level the series. I hope this India Vs Australia 1St Test 2023 Highlights Border Gavaskar Trophy post helps you.

John Smith

John Smith is the lead cricket analyst and writer for CricDen.net. With over 10 years of experience in sports journalism and a Master’s degree in Sports Science, John brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his insightful cricket analyses and match predictions. His passion for cricket and commitment to providing accurate, timely information make him a trusted voice in the cricket community. Follow John and CricDen for the latest cricket updates, expert opinions, and in-depth coverage on Instagram @cricden and Facebook @cricden.

cricden.net

The post India Vs Australia 1St Test 2023 Highlights Border Gavaskar Trophy appeared first on CricDen.