Last Updated on 2 weeks by Charbel Coorey
Australia fans have ripped into the team following their disastrous performance in the first Test of the 2024/25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India. Australia will head into day four at 12/3 needing another 522 to win, but more realistic is the possibility of succumbing to one of their biggest ever defeats by runs.
Since bowling India out for 150 on day one, this Test has been nothing short of humiliating for Pat Cummins’ team. They fell to 7/67 the same day en route to 104, and then stood and watched as India mercilessly ran them into the ground as they did in 2018/19 and 2020/21.
Marnus Labuschagne has copped the brunt of the criticism. Once averaging 60 as the answer to Australia’s long-standing number three conundrum, Labuschagne is enduring a run so bad his place in the side is being questioned. Couple this with his desire to bowl bouncer after bouncer, and Australian fans are not happy.
“That’s the full humiliation for Marnus Labuschagne. His deterioration as a Test cricketer,” said Gerard Whateley on SEN Cricket’s live coverage after Labuschagne reviewed a plumb LBW without offering a shot against Jasprit Bumrah. Grim.
Australia’s selectors and captain Pat Cummins were also in the firing line. The uncertainty around their batting lineup last season has come back to bite, and a number of players are out of form. Also, the negative tactics late in India’s innings were among those rarely ever seen on these shores.
“Have you ever seen such a despondent team of Australian cricketers, resorting to those tactics?”, said Adam Gilchrist on commentary.
Australia fans react to humiliation against India in Perth Test
Here are some of the reactions to a dismal showing by Australia in such a big series. Not only are they aiming the regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time since 2014/15, but they have a shot at reaching the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC) Final.
India came into this series having lost 3-0 at home to New Zealand. That seems a distant memory. Yashasvi Jaiswal was magnificent, notching up 161 in his first Test in Australia. Virat Kohli followed it up with a drought-breaking century of his own, celebrating with a mixture of joy and relief.
