Team India captain Jasprit Bumrah wasn’t surprised by Virat Kohli’s dominant century in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 at Optus Stadium, Perth. Kohli’s unbeaten 100 in the second innings played a key role in India’s massive 295-run victory over Australia, giving them a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Before the series, Kohli’s struggles in red-ball cricket were a major talking point. A poor home season and three consecutive single-digit scores raised doubts about his form, with many speculating that the series could be a turning point in his career.
The concerns deepened when Josh Hazlewood dismissed Kohli for just five runs in the first innings, exploiting extra bounce. However, Kohli capitalized on better batting conditions in the second innings. He settled in, built his innings, and ultimately reached his long-awaited 30th Test century, silencing his critics in style.
“I didn’t see him out of form at all. On challenging wickets it’s hard to judge if a batsman is in form. He was looking good in the nets,” Bumrah said of Kohli during the post-match presentation after the win in Perth.
Kohli had previously scored a brilliant century during India’s 2018 tour of Perth, though it came in a losing effort. This victory in the first Test marks India’s first win in Perth since 2008 and brings an end to Australia’s unbeaten streak at the Optus Stadium.
“I encouraged the team to trust the process and believe in their skills”- Jasprit Bumrah
Initially appointed as vice-captain for the series, Jasprit Bumrah faced a significant challenge after Rohit Sharma was unavailable for the first Test. Adding to the complications, a late injury to Shubman Gill forced the team to field less experienced players in the playing XI.
Despite being under pressure after being bowled out for just 150 in the first innings, Team India bounced back brilliantly. An exceptional bowling performance, spearheaded by Bumrah, helped them take a crucial lead and turn the game around.
“We were put under pressure and then came back strongly. Very happy with their response. You know I played here in 2018 I remembered that the wicket starts off soft and then gets quicker.”
”This one was just a little less spicy. I told the guys to follow the process and have faith in their abilities so on a given day experience does matter but it is how you perform on the day,” Bumrah added.
The second Test of the series is set to begin at the Adelaide Oval on December 6. This match will be a pink-ball Test, and India will prepare with a two-day practice game against the Prime Minister’s XI starting on November 30.
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