India lose Perth Test to ‘weakest’ Australia by 146 runs

Australia defeated India by 146 runs in the Perth Test to level the four-match series. Chasing the second innings target of 287, the visitors crumbled in the face of mighty Australian bowling attack and bowled out for 140 runs in 56 overs on the fifth and final day. Starting from their day four 112 for five, the visitors lost their remaining five wickets for 28 runs in just 15 overs. With match-winning figures of 8-106 in the Perth Test, Nathan Lyon was named the Player of the Match. Lyon had taken five wickets in the first innings and three wickets in the second innings of the Peth Test.

This was Australia’s first Test win since the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa earlier this year. Also, this was the Aussies’ first win under Tim Paine’s captaincy. India had won the first and opening Test by 31 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

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In the second innings, Mitchell Starc (3-46) and Nathan Lyon (3-39) finished with three wickets each, while Josh Hazlewood (2-24) and Pat Cummins (2-25) took two wickets apiece.

On the fifth day, Hanuma Vihari (28) and Rishabh Pant (30) started India’s chase with a hope of going as deep as they can but the duo batted out only six overs before Mitchell Starc removed the earlier. They added just 21 runs for the sixth wicket.

With the fall of Hanuma Vihari, Pant left with no choice but to play the attacking strokes. However, in a bid to do so, he fell victim to player of the match Nathan Lyon. Pant tried to go over the long on but could not connect the middle of the bat and holed out on mid-on where Peter Handscomb took a spectacular diving catch.

After Pant’s wicket, it was all over for India with Umesh Yadav (2), Ishant Sharma (0) and Jasprit Bumrah (0) giving up the fight against the mighty Australian attack. While Yadav returned a simple catch to Starc, Ishant and Bumrah were sent back packing by Cummins in the same over.

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Earlier, in response to Australia’s first innings 326-run target, India was bowled out for 283 conceding a lead of 43 runs. The only positive from the first innings was Kohli’s 25^th Test hundred. In their second innings, the hosts scored 283 runs, thanks to the tail enders who chipped in to stretch the total lead by 286 runs. With series level at 1-1, the contest has become more interesting and both teams will now face each other in the third Test in Melbourne on December 26.