Australia vs India, 2018-19: 2nd Test, Day 1 – Statistical Highlights

Australia would consider themselves to be in a fairly strong position after finishing the first day of the Perth Test against India at 277/6. However, they failed to convert the start given by their openers Marcus Harris (79) and Aaron Finch (50), who built a 114-run partnership on a tricky surface. Shaun Marsh (45) and Travis Head (58) added 84 for the 5th wicket after the hosts lost four wickets for 36 runs against a tidy bowling performance from India in the second session.

All the major stats and numbers that were recorded during the opening day of Perth Test:

A year to remember for the Indian pacers:

2 – For the second time in 2018, India took the field without a regular spinner in the playing XI. India went with five pace options including Hardik Pandya in the Johannesburg Test this year against South Africa. (Excluding part-time spinners)

Prior to 2018, the 2012 Test match against Australia at the WACA, Perth is the only other time when India went without a proper spin option in their XI of a Test match. India had four specialist pacers in the 1992 Sydney Test against Aussies as well but the spin all-rounder Ravi Shastri was the opener in that game.

150 – Number of wickets for Indian pacers in Test cricket in 2018. This is the first time pacers of an Asian team have claimed as many as 150 Test wickets in a calendar year. Mohammed Shami (38), Jasprit Bumrah (35), Ishant Sharma (35), Umesh Yadav (19), Hardik Pandya (13) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (10) have contributed towards the feat.

A rare big stand:

45 – The century stand between Marcus Harris and Aaron Finch is the first century opening stand in 45 Test innings against India for any pair. Last time India conceded a century opening stand in this format was in December 2016 in the Chennai Test against England. This is the second longest such streak for India behind 71 innings between 1977 and 81.

112 – Runs Harris and Finch added before the fall of the first wicket. These are the second most runs added at a Test venue in Australia before witnessing the first wicket. The WACA Stadium in Perth got a chance to witness a wicket at the score of 178 on its Test debut.

Vihari turns handy with the ball:

81.6 – Average runs made by the batsmen before getting dismissed by Hanuma Vihari in Test cricket. Of the five wickets in the format for Vihari, three have been dismissed after scoring 70. Four of his five wickets are of the left-handers.

Virat turns 100 in catches:

100 – The stunning catch at the second slip of Peter Handscomb was the 100th catch in first-class cricket for Virat Kohli.

A first for Tim Paine:

1 – Tim Paine, in this match, won his first toss as Australian captain in Test cricket. The Aussies lost the toss in all the four previous Tests when Paine was the captain.

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