Australia’s pace bowlers showcased their prowess by dismantling India’s top order during the first session of the pink-ball Test at the WACA Ground. At tea on Friday, India found themselves struggling at 99/4 in 27 overs. Jemimah Rodrigues and Deepti Sharma are currently holding the fort for India, with Australia’s Annabel Sutherland, Lucy Hamilton, and Darcie Brown leading a disciplined bowling attack.
The Indian innings got off to a shaky start as Smriti Mandhana fell early to Lucy Hamilton’s maiden Test wicket. Despite Shafali Verma’s aggressive 35 off 48 balls, she succumbed to Annabel Sutherland’s bowling after hitting six boundaries. Debutant Pratika Rawal also failed to make a substantial impact, getting dismissed for 18 runs.
India’s captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, tried to counterattack with boundaries but was eventually bowled out by Darcie Brown for 19. Jemimah Rodrigues managed to stabilize the innings briefly but India struggled overall to show the required patience for Test cricket survival in the challenging conditions.
In a nutshell, Australia’s dominant pace attack put India on the back foot, leaving the visitors in a precarious position as the match progressed.
