With his 11th five-wicket stroke, Ravindra Jadeja made a victorious comeback to international cricket and helped Australia reach 177 on the opening day of the eagerly awaited Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Three strikers, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, and Peter Handscomb, were dismissed by Jadeja. With 56 from 69, Rohit Sharma led India's counterattack and helped the team get within 100 runs of Australia's total with nine wickets remained in play.
Jadeja played with accuracy and delicate adjustments in pace and trajectory on a practical surface. While still maintaining a full or slightly longer length, he slowed the odd ball. R Ashwin, who made numerous attempts, contributed three.
Australia's innings had normal rotational track rhythms. Australia tried to take advantage of every scoring opportunity, and India was a little impatient for their bowlers to understand the value of runs on such tracks. Points and dismissals came in spurts.
But without any buildup, the first wave of wickets came quickly. Australia had won the vital toss on a pitch that would prove dangerous for the final batter, but Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami, two great fast bowlers, had just enough to retire the openers for one run each.
Siraj got off to a stunning start with a left-handed hitter's version of the out swing, launching on the leg and moving just enough to get by Usman Khawaja's inside edge while remaining on the leg stump.David Warner would have been out lbw had the ball not ricocheted and sent the stump coasting as Shami circled the wicket to stitch the ball just enough to beat Warner.
In the following three overs, Labuschagne and Smith managed to hit four boundaries, leading to a double change: Jadeja and Axar Patel. A combination of pace and spin allowed India to regain control as soon as the ball twisted for Jadeja. Spinners dominated the first session's second half, but Labuschagne and Smith were up to the challenge. After adding 74 mainly insured races, they headed to lunch.
However, after lunch, the ball began to spin more, and Jadeja advanced through the middle order. The delivery of getting Labuschagne was possibly the greatest. He dived on Labuschagne with round arms, yanked out his rear foot, and then abruptly turned away, leaving him behind. KS Bharat, who made his debut last year and succeeded Wriddhiman Saha, experienced his first formal termination.
Rohit achieved his fifty in just 66 balls with a paddle sweep on the 22nd, and he celebrated with a next ball. He had taken the early wickets and then utilised the spinners to draw mistakes.
Murphy provided some solace for Australia, though, recovering the ball from the rough surrounding the wicket and taking KL Rahul's wicket just before the stumps.
