1st Test: India post 400 vs Australia, lead by 223
What's the story
India posted 400 in their first innings in the ongoing opening Test versus Australia, therefore earning a mammoth 223-run lead. On a track where Australia were folded for 177, the home team showcased remarkable resilience. While skipper Rohit Sharma starred with a ton, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel contributed with fifties. Todd Murphy took seven wickets for Australia. Here are further details.
Summary
How did India's innings pan out?
India got off to a stellar start with openers Rohit and KL Rahul (20) adding 76 runs. While Cheteshwar Pujara (7), Virat Kohli (16), Suryakumar Yadav (8), and KS Bharat (8) couldn't contribute much, Rohit played a stellar 120-run knock. Jadeja (70) and Axar (84) further added to Australia's agony with fifties. Debutant off-spinner Todd Murphy was the pick of the Aussie bowlers.
Rohit
Maiden Test ton for skipper Rohit
This was Rohit's maiden Test ton as skipper and overall ninth in the format. He ended up scoring a 212-ball 120 ( 15 fours, two sixes). The 35-year-old became the fourth player with centuries in all three formats while leading the team. He joined Pakistan's Babar Azam, Sri Lanka's Tilakaratne Dilshan, and South Africa's Faf du Plessis in the elite list.
Stats
Sixth Test ton as opener
Rohit has been India's mainstay opener across formats. He excelled in Tests at the top after Virat Kohli promoted him in 2019. In a career spanning over a decade, Rohit has played just 46 Tests. He has racked up 3,257 runs at a 47-plus average (47.2). The tally includes nine centuries and 14 half-centuries. He owns six Test tons as an opener.
Stats
18th Test fifty for Jadeja
Jadeja brought up his 18th Test half-century. He scored a 185-ball 70 (nine fours). Playing his 61st match, the southpaw now owns 2,593 at an average of 37.04. Besides 18 tons, he also owns three tons. He slammed his 5th fifty versus the Aussies, besides going past 400 runs (457) against them. Notably, Jadeja shared half-century stands with Rohit and Axar.
Stats
Sixth double for Ravindra Jadeja
Earlier in the contest, Jadeja bagged a fifer (5/47). This was the sixth instance of Jadeja recording a 50-plus score and a fifer in the same Test. He equaled his team-mate Ravichandran Ashwin in this regard. Only England's Ian Botham (11) and Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan (10) have accomplished the milestone more times in Tests.
Information
2nd Test fifty for Axar
Axar brought up his second Test fifty and his highest score in Tests. He smoked a 174-ball 84 with the help of 10 boundaries and one six. Axar now has 333 runs in nine Tests at 27.75. He also owns 47 wickets in whites.
Debut
Memorable debut for Murphy
Murphy became the fourth off-spinner from Australia to claim a fifer on Test debut. He joined Peter Taylor Jason Krejza and Nathan Lyon. At 22 years and 87 days, he also became the youngest Aussie spinner to get the milestone. Murphy eventually returned with figures worth 7/124 in 47 overs. These are the sixth-best figures by an Aussie bowler on Test debut.