India crushed Australia in the first test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 as they secured a massive 295-run victory on 25 November (Monday) and became the first-ever team to defeat Australia in Perth, Optus Stadium. India dominated the hosts with both bat and ball and started BGT on a positive note.
After suffering an embarrassing series loss 3-0 against New Zealand on home soil, India entered BGT as underdogs, with the absence of skipper Rohit Sharma and pacer Mohammed Shami India shut down doubters with a dominating performance, Jaspirt Bumrah became the first captain to defeat Australia in Perth, he also picked 8 wickets in the test match and pushed Australia to backfoot in crucial situations.
In the first innings Indian batter struggled and only managed to score 150 runs with Nitish Kumar Reddy (41) remaining as the top scorer for India. However, India dominated Australia with the ball and the stand-in captain picked a five-wicket haul and wrapped the Australian batting lineup on just 104 runs. Indian batters came back stronger in the second innings and Yashasvi Jaiswal (161) and KL Rahul (77) smashed a 201-run opening stand, which is the highest opening stand for India on Australian soil. Virat Kohli also scored his seventh test ton on Australian soil which also helped India to put on massive score on board.
What are India’s pathways to the WTC 2023-2025 final?
India’s commanding triumph in the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 catapulted them to the top of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-2025 standings. With an impressive track record of nine victories in 15 matches, they currently boast a PCT of 61.11.
Meanwhile, Australia, previously leading the table, slipped to second place with a PCT of 57.69 after securing eight wins in 13 games. While the victory in Perth is a significant milestone, it does not guarantee India a berth in the WTC 2023-2025 final.
To ensure their place in the championship decider, the Rohit Sharma-led team must sustain their winning momentum and avoid any setbacks in the series. They need to clinch three more wins and secure a draw to solidify their position and advance to the final.
| Pos. | Team | Mat. | Won | Lost | Drawn | Points | PCT |
| 1 | India | 15 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 110 | 61.11 |
| 2 | Australia | 13 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 90 | 57.69 |
| 3 | Sri Lanka | 9 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 60 | 55.56 |
| 4 | New Zealand | 11 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 60 | 54.55 |
| 5 | South Africa | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 52 | 54.17 |
| 6 | England | 19 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 93 | 40.79 |
| 7 | Pakistan | 10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 40 | 33.33 |
| 8 | Bangladesh | 10 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 33 | 27.50 |
| 9 | West Indies | 9 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 20 | 18.52 |
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Jasir Basharat is a cricket enthusiast capturing the heart of the game through insightful analysis and storytelling sharing his passion for the sport through engaging narratives. He is a business graduate from University of Kashmir.
