India Routes Australia in First Test Match of Border-Gavaskar Trophy

Rohit Sharma and Co. routed Australia by an innings and 132 runs in the first Test match of Border-Gavaskar Trophy at Nagpur on Saturday. In the first innings, the hosts bowled out Australia for 177 runs. In reply, India piled up 400 runs in their first innings with Rohit slamming his 9th Test ton and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel contributing with gritty half-centuries. In the second innings, lead spinner R Ashwin grabbed a fifer as the Pat Cummins-led Australia surrendered, getting skittled out for merely 91 runs. Jadeja made a comeback to international cricket after recovering from knee injury and grabbed seven wickets in the match and scored a gritty half-century. With the crucial 88-run partnership between Jadeja and Axar and 223 run lead by India in the first innings, it was a tall mountain for Australia to overcome. Vice-captain Steven Smith remained unbeaten on 25 runs to emerge as the higest run-scorer for the visitors. Besides Ashwin’s fifer, Shami and Jadeja picked two wickets each and Axar dismissed one batter.