India ensnared Australia in a web of spin in the first Test in Nagpur, emerging victorious by innings and 132 runs. Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was the star of the show, claiming a remarkable eight wickets in the match, including a fifer in the second innings.
The hosts took a commanding first-innings lead of 223, before skittling out Australia for a mere 91 in an extended second session, giving them a 1-0 lead in the four-match series. Steve Smith was left to survey the wreckage on 25, as Ashwin, who took five wickets in the innings and eight in the match, orchestrated a complete batting collapse within a single session.
Prior to the match, there was much speculation about the condition of the pitch in Nagpur. The Australian media even accused the groundskeepers of doctoring the pitch to favor the Indian spinners. However, there was no evidence to support these claims. Nevertheless, Indian spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja proved to be a formidable force, taking a combined seven wickets and delivering a crushing blow to the Australian team.
After the win, former India opener Wasim Jaffer trolled Australia in a unique way. He posted a video of a moving conveyor belt in an airport with two words superimposed on it: "Turning Pitch". This cleverly highlighted the fact that the pitch had turned in India's favor, leaving the Australian team in a spin. He also wrote in his tweet: "In short Congrats on another fifer @ashwinravi99 #INDvAUS"
Ashwin wreaked havoc on the opposition batting lineup, sending back Usman Khawaja (five), David Warner (10), and Matt Renshaw (two) with his off-spin. Jadeja, who had already taken five wickets in the first innings, added two more to his tally, including Marnus Labuschagne (Australia's first-innings top-scorer with 49) who was trapped lbw for 17.
However, it was Ashwin who truly dominated the afternoon, as the Australian batting lineup crumbled on a pitch where India's tail including Axar Patel (84) and Mohammed Shami (37) had scored impressively in the first session.
India and Australia will face off in the second Test of their four-match series in Delhi on February 17th.
Brief Scores
Australia 1st innings: 177 and 2nd innings: 91 all out in 32.3 overs (Ravichandran Ashwin 5/37).
India 1st innings: 400 all out in 139.3 overs (Rohit Sharma 120, Axar Patel 84, Ravindra Jadeja 70; Todd Murphy 7/124)
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