NEW DELHI: India produced dominant performances with both bat and ball to register a thumping innings and 132 runs victory over Australia inside three days in the opening Test of the four-match series at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur. The massive win on Saturday gave the hosts a well-deserved 1-0 lead in the series.
After taking a massive 223 runs lead in the first innings, India bowlers led by Ravichandran Ashwin (5/37), who took his 31st five-wicket haul in Test cricket, bundled out Australia for a meagre 91 in their second innings.
As it happened: India vs Australia, 1st Test Day 3
Ashwin and comeback man Ravindra Jadeja (2/34) were unplayable for the Aussie batters as the duo reduced the visitors to 67/7 in the 23rd over. Axar Patel (1/6) and Moahmmed Shami (2/13) then removed the remaining three wickets to give India a big win.
Earlier, Axar scored a career-best 84, off 174, and added a valuable 52 runs for the ninth wicket with Shami (37 off 47) to push India's first innings total to 400.
Australia had been on the back foot since posting a below-par 177 on a treacherous track, and India's victory appeared just a matter of time after the home side amassed 400 to claim a hefty lead of 223.
Ashwin then hollowed out Australia's top order with his nagging accuracy, and the tourists lost all 10 wickets in one frenetic session.
1/10:1st Test: Spinners shine as India crush Australia by an innings
Getty Images
2/10:India take 1-0 lead
<p>Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja eviscerated Australia in just over two hours to hand India a crushing innings-and-132-run victory inside three days of the opening Test. The hosts took a commanding first-innings lead of 223, then skittled out Australia for 91 to take a 1-0 lead in the four-match series.</p>AP
3/10:Australia collapse in one session
<p>Steve Smith was left to survey the ruins on 25 after Ashwin, who took five wickets in the innings and eight in the match, triggered a complete batting collapse inside a single session.<br /></p>AP
4/10:Fifer for Ashwin
<p>Ashwin rattled the opposition batting with his off-spin as he sent back Usman Khawaja (five), David Warner (10) and Matt Renshaw (two).<br /></p>ANI
5/10:Two wickets for Jadeja
<p>Jadeja, who grabbed five in the first innings, took two wickets including Marnus Labuschagne -- Australia's first-innings top-scorer with 49 -- trapped lbw for 17.<br /></p>AFP
6/10:Ashwin runs through Aussie batters
<p>But Ashwin ruled the afternoon to run through the Australian batting, which fell flat on a pitch where India's tail -- including Axar Patel (84) and Mohammed Shami (37) -- scored handsomely in the first session.<br /></p>PTI
7/10:Shami finishes off Aussie innings
<p>Shami bowled Nathan Lyon for the ninth wicket to extend the session and finished the job when he trapped Scott Boland lbw.<br /></p>Getty Images
8/10:Memorable debut for Murphy
<p>Debutant spinner Todd Murphy was the tourists' sole saving grace, adding two more wickets on Saturday morning to return figures of 7-124.<br /></p>Getty Images
9/10:Murphy takes seven-for
<p>Murphy, who on Friday became the youngest Australian spinner to bag five in his first Test, bowled Jadeja for 70 early in the morning session to end an 88-run eighth-wicket partnership with Axar.<br /></p>ANI
10/10:Jadeja falls early on Day 3
<p>Jadeja, a left-hander making his international return from a knee injury, added just four to his overnight 66.<br /></p>ReutersSteve Smith's unbeaten 25 was the highest individual score in Australia's sorry-looking second innings scoreboard, which is likely to prompt some soul-searching heading into the second Test in New Delhi from Friday.
Off-spinner Todd Murphy claimed 7-124 in his debut Test in what was the only highlight for world number one Australia, who still lead World Test Championship standings ahead of India.
Rohit Sharma's majestic 120 had put India in the box seat and all-rounders Axar Patel (84) and Ravindra Jadeja (70) drove home the advantage on day three of the contest.
Mohammed Shami (37) chipped in with a breezy cameo down the order before India folded for 400 on the stroke of lunch.
(With inputs from Reuters)
