India defeated Australia by an innings and 132 runs in the first Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test at the Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) Stadium in Nagpur. With this tremendous victory, India has grabbed a 1-0 lead and appears confident in their ability to easily win the series and secure a position in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
Ravindra Jadeja returned to the pavilion early on the third day of the match after scoring 70 vital runs. Axar Patel (84 runs) and Mohammed Shami (37 runs) continued the onslaught against the Australian bowlers despite the veteran’s departure. At the score of 400, India lost their last wicket, leaving Australia with a formidable challenge.
With a lead of over 200 runs at the conclusion of the first innings, Ind dominated the match. Pat Cummins and his team needed an amazing performance against Indian bowlers in the second innings to stay in the game. However, this was not possible because the Indian bowlers dismissed the Baggy Greens for 91. Australia recorded their lowest Test total in India with this score. Ravichandran Ashwin, who was anticipated to be a threat against the visitors, acted as major destructor. The 36-year-old smashed Australia’s top order by utilising his considerable knowledge and tremendous skills.
The veteran took the wickets of Usman Khwaja, David Warne, Matt Renshaw, Peter Handscomb, and Alex Carey during his 12-over performance. In addition to him, Ravindra Jadeja emerged as a threat by taking two wickets, one of which was the dangerous Marnus Labuschagne.
WTC Points standings following India’s decisive victory
After winning the first Tests against Australia, the Indian team is still ranked second in the table of points. Rohit Sharma and his team have accumulated 11 points and a victory percentage of 61.67. Regarding Australia, they are still in first place with 136 points and a 70.83 victory %. However, if Australia fails to win or draw on this tour, Sri Lanka’s chances of reaching the final will increase.
| Position | Team | PCT | Points | Won | Lost | Draw |
| 1 | Australia | 70.83 | 136 | 10 | 2 | 4 |
| 2 | India | 61.67 | 111 | 9 | 4 | 2 |
| 3 | Sri Lanka | 53.33 | 64 | 5 | 4 | 1 |
| 4 | South Africa | 48.72 | 76 | 6 | 6 | 1 |
| 5 | England | 46.97 | 124 | 10 | 8 | 4 |
| 6 | West Indies | 40.91 | 54 | 4 | 5 | 2 |
| 7 | Pakistan | 38.10 | 64 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| 8 | New Zealand | 27.27 | 36 | 2 | 6 | 3 |
| 9 | Bangladesh | 11.11 | 16 | 1 | 10 | 1 |
India
