Jadeja keeps India alive after Kuhnemann 5-fer spins out hosts for 109 on Day 1 in Indore

Australian left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann, playing in only his second Test, claimed 5-16 as the visitors bundled out India for 109 in 33.2 overs on Day 1 of the Indore Test. India won the toss and decided to bat first but looked all at sea as Kuhnemann and Nathan Lyon (3-35) ran through their batting.

In response, Australia put up a solid performance with the willow, but Ravindra Jadeja (4-63) made sure that the tourists didn't run away with the game. The Aussies went to stumps at 156-4, gaining a significant lead of 47 with six wickets in hand. Opener Usman Khawaja (60) played yet another impressive knock to give Australia the upper hand by stumps.

Jadeja gave India some early hope, trapping Travis Head (9) as the left-hander missed his flick. India smartly used DRS to get the decision in their favor. Their subsequent use of the review system, though, left a lot to be desired.

They took two horrendous reviews, with Jadeja being the bowler and Khawaja being the batter on both occasions. Before that, the left-arm spinner had bowled Marnus Labuschagne for a duck, but it did not matter, as the bowler had overstepped.

Khawaja and Labuschagne demonstrated great skills to keep the Indian spinners at bay and frustrate the hosts. Khawaja adeptly mixed aggression with caution, bringing up a top-class half-century. At the other end, Labuschagne displayed very good technique and patience as Australia put themselves in a strong position in the Test.

The fighting partnership ended when Jadeja castled Labuschagne (31) with an arm ball as the Australian batter was again caught on the back foot. Khawaja was looking good for a big score, but he too perished to Jadeja. The left-hander went for a sweep, a stroke that has been successful for him in the series, but found Shubman Gill at deep midwicket.

Not long after Khawaja’s dismissal, India wasted their third review. Jadeja was the bowler again, and Steve Smith the batter. The Aussie captain was hit on the pad, but the ball, though it kept low, was clearly going down leg. In his next over, Jadeja managed an edge off Smith’s bat, but keeper KS Bharat could not hold on to a tough chance.

The left-arm spinner had his man in the next over, though, as a delivery sharply turned away from Smith (26) but not before taking the edge. This time, Bharat made no mistake behind the stumps. At close of play on Day 1, Peter Handscomb was unbeaten on 7 and Cameron Green on 6.

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Kuhnemann stuns India with memorable five-fer

The Indore Test got off to a dramatic start, as Mitchell Starc induced an edge off Rohit Sharma’s bat first ball. The umpire did not raise his finger, and Australia did not take the review. A few balls later, the right-hander was struck on the back leg. Australia again did not take a review, but DRS showed three reds.

Rohit’s luck finally ran out on 12 as he charged down the pitch to Kuhnemann for a slog but was stumped. Gill (21) was caught at slip as he pushed at a good delivery from the left-arm spinner. Cheteshwar Pujara (1) was cleaned up by his nemesis Lyon. The India No.3 batter was castled as he went back to cut a delivery that spun back sharply.

Jadeja (4)'s promotion did not work, as he was caught at short extra cover off Lyon. Shreyas Iyer (0) too was back in the hut for a duck, chopping Kuhnemann back onto his stumps. Virat Kohli looked good for his 22 before falling to Todd Murphy again, trapped lbw by a well-directed full delivery. Kohli’s dismissal left India in massive strife at 70-6.

Bharat (17) and Ravichandran Ashwin (3) fell to Lyon and Kuhnemann either side of lunch. Umesh Yadav (17) stuck a couple of hefty blows to take India past 100 before becoming Kuhnemann’s fifth victim, getting trapped lbw with a length ball that kept low.

The Indian innings ended when Mohammed Siraj (0) was run out following a mix-up with Axar Patel (12*).