BGT 2024-25: Head reaches fifty after Siraj’s double strikes take India closer to big win over Australia

Perth, November 24 (IANS): Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj picked two wickets to take India to a comprehensive win over Australia on day four of the first Test at Perth Stadium on Monday. At lunch, Australia are 104/5 in 30 overs, with Travis Head playing on the counter with an unbeaten 63 and Mitchell Marsh keeping him company with five not out.

On a pitch with variable bounce, Australia face an insurmountable task of scoring 430 more runs, which looks a bit steep compared to India, who are five wickets away from a famous and memorable Test victory in Perth.

India struck for their eighth ball of the day when Usman Khawaja got the top edge of Mohammed Siraj’s turn drive, which was safely caught by Rishabh Pant, who had run inches to his right.

But on the other hand, Head looked to throw his punches freely – moving, punching and swinging with sweeping movements to take his boundaries. Steve Smith presented a more streamlined look at the crease with minimal movement of the trigger towards mid-on and beyond, compared to the more exaggerated shuffling that saw him fall in search of a golden duck in the first innings.

The duo also survived appeals from India, who burned the review in the process, while Smith was hit in the ribs by a short ball from Harshit Rana. Although Smith appeared to be comfortable at the crease, he straightened up a short distance from Siraj on the fifth stump and moved to a full stretch of diving trousers.

But Head continued to maintain his attacking instincts – reaching fifty, lofting Siraj’s short ball over the keeper for four and then taking advantage of the bounce to hit a fine leg shot for another boundary to take Australia’s score to a hundred as the hosts leveled the scores in the first innings , losing five wickets here.

Brief scores: India 150 in 49.4 overs and 487/6 December in 134.3 overs lead Australia 104 in 51.2 overs and 104/5 in 30 overs (Travis Head 63 not out, Mohammed Siraj 3-34) with resulting in 430 runs