PERTH, NOVEMBER 24

Yashasvi Jaiswal's brilliant 161 and an unbeaten 100 by Virat Kohli had India sniffing victory in the opening Border-Gavaskar test after setting Australia an unlikely target of 534 runs at the Perth Stadium on Sunday.

Australia slumped to 12-3 at stumps on the third day in the face of taking on the highest-ever run chase for victory in test cricket.

Fast bowler and captain Jasprit Bumrah (2-1) drew first blood and trapped debutante opener Nathan McSweeney (0) lbw with the fourth delivery that kept low. Then off the last ball of the day, Bumrah trapped Marnus Labuschagne (3) lbw with another delivery that hardly bounced.

In between, nightwatchman and skipper Pat Cummins lasted eight balls before he edged fast bowler Mohamed Siraj to Kohli at second slip.

Bumrah picked up where he left off in the Australian first innings when he took 5-30 to bundle out the hosts for 104. This was after India was bowled out for 150 after winning the toss as 17 wickets tumbled on the first day.

Kohli swept legspinner Labuschagne for his eighth boundary to bring up his 30th century in his 119th test as India declared on 487-6 leaving Australia 190 overs over two days to secure an unlikely win.

India last won a test in Perth at the WACA ground in 2018.

It was also Kohli's first century in 16 innings since July 2023 and came off 143 balls and also included two sixes. He shared a rollicking 76 runs for the seventh wicket with Nitesh Kumar Reddy who was unbeaten on 38.

With Perth temperature soaring to 36 degrees Celsius (96.8 degrees Fahrenheit) the pitch was showing signs of early deterioration with cracks emerging and the odd ball keeping low making batting appear increasingly difficult.

India resuming on a well-placed 275-1 after lunch and progressed to 359-5 at tea as the post lunch session produced just 84 runs for the loss of four wickets.

India briefly lost its way in the session when it lost 4-46 including 3-8 in the space of six balls. That included Jaiswal who clubbed medium paceman Mitchell Marsh but to his dismay had Steve Smith at point catching to end his near 7 ½ hour innings.

Devdutt Padikkal's dismissal to the first ball after lunch triggered the mini collapse and included Rishabh Pant, stumped as offspinner Nathan Layon cleverly pushed a delivery wide of the charging left hander only for wicketkeeper Alex Carey to whip the bails.

Batsman Druv Jurel was unlucky when he referred his lbw decision and TV replays showed the delivery just brushing the leg stump.

But Kohli and Washington Sundar (29) counterattacked with an 89-run sixth wicket stand before Lyon bowled the latter while attempting to slog.

Jaiswal, who lived in poverty and in a tent with the groundsman of the Mumbai Maidan before starting his career, played one of the finest innings in the short test history of at the Perth Stadium and left to a standing ovation from an appreciative third-day crowd.

His insatiable appetite for big innings was evident Sunday as he stood crest fallen when finally dismissed after playing an innings that will be remembered for many years to come.

His innings lasted 297 balls and provided the backbone of the Indian effort, putting the tourists in position to push for an early lead in the five-test series. He hit six sixes and 15 fours as he took his 2024 run tally to 1,280 in 12 tests at an average of 58.18 including two double hundreds against England at home to add to this ton.

Jaiswal brought up his fourth test century in sensational style as he parried a Josh Hazlewood bouncer over the third man boundary for his third six. He celebrated the ton by raising his bat and then raising both arms. That six took his sixes tally to a record 35 in 2024 and surpassed New Zealander Brendon McCullum's 33.

'I was really enjoying the batting,' said Jaiswal refusing to single out any of his four hundreds. 'All the centuries are amazing. I always believed in me and I will do whatever is required for the team.'

Playing in only his 15th test in a career that has spanned just as many months, Jaiswal was in brilliant form as he batted with control, authority and conviction.

'It is always special to score a hundred against one of the best teams in the world,' Jaiswal said of his batting heroics. 'I worked hard in every practice session because I really wanted to score runs in Australia.'

Jaiswal was dismissed for 0 in the first innings to join Sunil Gavaskar in scoring a duck and a hundred in the same test in Australia. Gavaskar made 0 and 118 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in December 1977.

Jaiswal and KL Rahul (77) shared 201 runs for the first wicket as the latter played second fiddle to Jaiswal in the 383-ball stand, batting for 302 minutes with five fours off 176 balls.

Leftarm swing bowler Mitchell Starc finally separated the partnership when KL Rahul edged a delivery that was slanted across the right hander and wicketkeeper Alex Carey took a low catch.

The opening stand was the highest for India in Australia since the 191 between Gavaskar and Krishnamachari Srikkanth at the Sydney Cricket Ground in January 1986.

Australia and India are one-two in the World Test Championship standings.