Ravichandran Ashwin Registers 31st Test Five-For As India Maul Australia

Ravichandran Ashwin produced a superb spell of bowling to claim his 31st five-wicket haul in Test cricket as India hammered Australia by an innings and 132 runs in the first Test in Nagpur. Ashwin achieved the feat on Day 3 after taking the wickets of Usman Khawaja, David Warner, Matthew Renshaw, Peter Handscomb and Alex Carey. Ashwin received a lot of assistance from the pitch and his disciplined bowling was not difficult for the Australia batsmen to play against. While Warner was caught brilliantly by Virat Kohli, the four other dismissals were all LBWs with the batsmen having trouble in reading his line and length.

The hosts took a commanding first-innings lead of 223 in Nagpur, then skittled out Australia for 91 in an extended second session to take a 1-0 lead in the four-match series.

Steve Smith was left to survey the ruins on 25 after Ashwin, who took five wickets in the innings and eight in the match, triggered a complete batting collapse inside a single session.

Ashwin rattled the opposition batting with his off-spin as he sent back Usman Khawaja (five), David Warner (10) and Matt Renshaw (two).

Jadeja, who grabbed five in the first innings, took two wickets including Marnus Labuschagne — Australia’s first-innings top-scorer with 49 — trapped lbw for 17.

But Ashwin ruled the afternoon to run through the Australian batting, which fell flat on a pitch where India’s tail — including Axar Patel (84) and Mohammed Shami (37) — scored handsomely in the first session.

The second Test begins Friday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.

(With AFP Inputs)

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