Bumrah stuns Australia in chaotic start to Perth Test
Australia's fragile top order has been exposed yet again as 17 wickets tumbled on a chaotic first day of the Border-Gavaskar Test series in Perth.
Despite being rolled for 150, India went to stumps at Optus Stadium poised to claim a first-innings lead thanks to stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah's heroics that left Australia reeling at 7-67.
Australia are in danger of crashing to their lowest Test score at home since 1984, when the rampant West Indies skittled them for 76.
Before Friday's carnage, a combined total of 17 wickets had fallen in the first four Tests at Optus Stadium since it opened in 2018.
After declaring pre-game he thrived on responsibility, Bumrah (4-17) delivered a devastating first spell to remove debutant opener Nathan McSweeney (10), Usman Khawaja (eight), and Steve Smith (golden duck).
Inspired by their new leader, debutant pacer Harshit Rana (1-33) and Mohammed Siraj (2-17) landed further blows on Australia in the final session of an action-packed opening day of the blockbuster series.
Australia's ageing batting line-up has long relied on one large score, or partnership, to pull them out of sticky situations.
That job could again fall to keeper Alex Carey, who saved Australia with a brilliant unbeaten 98 in their previous Test in March against New Zealand.
Out-of-sorts Marnus Labuschagne endured the most painful innings of his career.
Australia's No.3 was lucky to be there as long as he was after Virat Kohli dropped a regulation slips catch that would have given Bumrah his fourth wicket.
The former No.1-ranked batter took 24 balls and 48 minutes just to score, and was eventually out for two off 52 deliveries.
McSweeney made a bright start to his Test career, hitting two boundaries early but fell lbw to Bumrah for 10.
The 25-year-old - Australia's 467th Test cricketer and the first new cap since spinner Matt Kuhnemann in India in February 2023 - was given his baggy green by former Australia coach Darren Lehmann.
As has been the case during the past few summers, bowlers dominated as batting looked difficult in front of a Perth Test record crowd of 31,302.
Josh Hazlewood (4-29) starred for Australia in a ruthless display as India struggled on a pace-friendly pitch after electing to bat first.
Spinner Nathan Lyon, who has an outstanding record at Optus Stadium, was only required to bowl five overs as Mitchell Marsh (2-12), Mitchell Starc (2-14) and Pat Cummins (2-67) backed up Hazlewood's heroics.
Australia came under criticism for resting Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood in a losing third ODI against Pakistan last week, but their focus was always on preparing to win a Border-Gavaskar series for the first time since 2014-15.
"Obviously good day to be a fast bowler," Starc said.
"Both teams with the ball in hand, bowled a lot of good stuff.
"A fair bit in the wicket, bit of swing, some sideways movement and some good pacing carry, so the game is very much in fast forward."
The hero of India's 2-1 series win in 2020-21, Rishabh Pant threatened to produce another epic rescue mission.
He was dropped once, and smashed an extraordinary six on one leg, as he started to frustrate Australia, who had India 6-73 when debutant allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy (41) arrived at the crease.
But once Cummins took the crucial wicket of Pant (37), India collapsed again.
Out-of-form superstar Kohli (five) lasted just 12 balls before he awkwardly top-edged a Hazlewood delivery to Khawaja at first slip.
Opener KL Rahul (26) almost survived the first session but fell caught behind to Starc in controversial fashion, initially given not out, but dismissed on review, much to his chagrin.
Highly rated opener Yashasvi Jaiswal had a nightmare first innings in Australia, dismissed for a duck when flashing at a ball from Starc, while Devdutt Padikkal made a torturous 23-ball duck.
