India let go a golden opportunity to dismiss Marnus Labuschagne for a duck as Virat Kohli dropped a sitter off Jasprit Bumrah during the Australian innings on the opening day of the first Test on Friday at the Optus Stadium in Perth. After getting bowled out for 150 in their first essay, India were off to a great start when Bumrah got the better of debutant Nathan McSweeney in the third over.
That brought Labuschagne into the middle who blocked the Indian captain for his first ball in this Border-Gavaskar Trophy. However, the right-hander, unable to cope up with a full-length delivery, poked and got a healthy edge which went straight to Kohli.
The former India captain didn't had to do much as he got his hands underneath the ball. However, the red cherry popped out of Kohli's hands. His teammates through the catch was completed but Kohli signalled he spilled the catch.
However, Kohli made up his dropped catch when he caught Usman Khawaja without any hiccups at the first slip off the bowling of Bumrah. Earlier, Kohli's lean patch in Test cricket continued as he managed just five runs from 12 balls while batting on Friday morning.
Coming out to bat after the fall of Devdutt Padikkal, Kohli had nothing but a beautiful cover drove to show that fetched three runs. He was eventually undone by Josh Hazlewood's extra bounce in the 15th over that kissed Kohli's bat shoulder to slips.
As far as India are concerned, the visitors rode on Rishabh Pant's 37 and and 41 from debutant Nitish Reddy to touch the 150-run mark. Meanwhile, India are all over Australia as the hosts struggle to get their feat in the Test match.
In reply to India's paltry total, Australia are already six wickets down with just 47 runs on board. Stand-in-captain Jasprit Bumrah was the wrecker-in-chief with three wickets that included openers Nathan McSweeney and Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith.
Mohammed Siraj picked up the big wickets of Marnus Labuschagne and Mitchell Marsh while debutant Harshit Rana bowled Travis Head with a peach of a delivery for his maiden international wicket.
