IND vs AUS, Perth Test: India crumbles to 150 all out; Pant, Nitish Kumar Reddy lauded, top-order slammed

India endured a frustrating first day in the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia in Perth, slumping to 150 all out by tea. After electing to bat, the visitors were left reeling in the face of a fiery Australian bowling attack, which tore through their top order, dismissing six wickets in the second session alone.

Also read: IND vs AUS, Perth Test: Are India missing captain Rohit Sharma? Batting collapse sparks debate, memes explode

While the collapse was painful to watch for Indian fans, there were some bright spots, most notably from debutants Nitish Kumar Reddy and wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, who were lauded for their resilience amid the crisis.

Reddy, in his first-ever Test innings, top-scored with a composed 41 off 59 balls, displaying calmness and technique as India’s middle order crumbled around him. Pant also contributed with a handy 37 runs, showing his trademark flair despite the mounting pressure. Both batters were the standouts in an otherwise disappointing day for India, with fans taking to social media to praise their performances in the face of adversity.

The Indian top order struggled from the outset. Openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Devdutt Padikkal failed to make an impact, both departing for ducks in their maiden Test innings in Australia. The pressure continued to mount as Virat Kohli was dismissed for just 5 runs, leaving India in deep trouble. KL Rahul, who had looked solid early, fell victim to a controversial caught behind decision just before lunch after scoring 26 off 74 balls.

Also read: IND vs AUS, Perth Test: KL Rahul's dismissal sparks debate, former players say 'when in doubt, don't give out'

In the post-lunch session, India’s middle and lower order completely capitulated. Washington Sundar was dismissed for 4 runs, leaving India struggling at 73 runs for the loss of 6 wickets. Pant and Reddy showcased a period of resilience before the wicketkeeper-batter fell in the 46th over of the innings. Harshit Rana (0), and captain Jasprit Bumrah (8) were dismissed in quick succession. India were bowled out for a modest total in just 49.4 overs.

Australia's bowlers were relentless, with Josh Hazlewood the standout performer, claiming 4 wickets for 29 runs. Mitchell Starc (2/14) and Mitchell Marsh (2/12) also had a significant impact, while captain Pat Cummins added two wickets to his tally, finishing with 2/67.

Brief Scores:

India: 150 all out in 49.4 overs
KL Rahul 26, Rishabh Pant 37, Nitish Kumar Reddy 41; Josh Hazlewood 4/29.

Here's a look at how fans lauded Rishabh Pant and debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy's show, while they criticized the others for letting the team down: