Match overview
India Cricket beat Australia Cricket by 295 runs in the first Test of their series, played at Optus Stadium in Perth. The match concluded on 22 November 2024 and was defined by Jasprit Bumrah's 8/72 across 30 overs, which skittled Australia for 104 in their first innings. India then compiled 487/6 in their second knock, setting a target of 534 that was always beyond the hosts. Australia were dismissed for 238 second time around, and India took the win with plenty in hand. Bumrah was named Player of the Match.
The scoreline tells a lopsided story, but the match was not straightforward from the start. India were bowled out for 150 in their first innings after winning the toss and electing to bat. Australia's reply of 104 gave India a 46-run lead, which was useful but not decisive. What followed in India's second innings changed everything: 487/6 was enough to render the final chapter academic.
Venue and conditions
Optus Stadium in Perth is one of the faster, bouncier surfaces in world cricket. Across 65 Test matches here, the average first-innings score is 179 and the average second-innings score drops to 152, reflecting the difficulty of batting once the ball has roughed up. Teams winning the toss opt to field on 52 per cent of occasions, which tells you something about how the pitch behaves early. The chase success rate across all formats at the ground sits at 49 per cent, making first-innings runs particularly valuable.
The first-innings scores in this Test (150 and 104) both sat below the venue average, consistent with the known early movement and bounce Perth offers. India's second-innings 487/6 was an outlier for this ground and speaks to how much conditions can ease once the new-ball phase has passed and the surface flattens out. Any future Test at this venue should be assessed with those averages in mind: 179 for the first innings is the historical baseline, and teams that bat last face a harder job than the raw target figure sometimes suggests.
How to watch
Test cricket between India and Australia is broadcast in the UK on Sky Sports Cricket, with live streaming available through Sky Go and NOW TV. For a five-day Test, Sky typically carries ball-by-ball coverage each session, with highlights packages available in the evening. BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra provides ball-by-ball audio commentary for many Test matches involving England and, during major tours, selected overseas fixtures. Check the BBC Sport website for the schedule ahead of each Test.
Given the time difference between Perth (AWST, UTC+8) and the UK, day one of a Perth Test begins at approximately midnight UK time in winter. Evening sessions in Australia fall in the UK morning, which suits highlights viewing more than live watching for most fans.
Recent form
India came into this Test in reasonable condition. Their five most recent results included wins against South Africa Cricket in three of four matches, with a series loss to New Zealand Cricket their last defeat before arriving in Australia. Four wins from five is a solid platform, though the New Zealand result showed India are not immune to pressure at home.
Australia's form was more mixed than their home record suggests. They won three consecutive Tests against Pakistan Cricket before losing the final two matches of that same series, suggesting a team capable of both dominant runs and unexpected collapses. That second-half wobble against Pakistan may have offered India's bowlers some encouragement before the Perth Test, and Bumrah's figures indicate they identified and exploited technical vulnerabilities under sustained pressure.
