The West Test: Massive Test summer gets underway in Perth as Australia take on India
The summer of cricket has officially arrived as Australia and India prepare for their box office battle in The West Test.
India has been the final frontier for this Australian side as they look to win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in a decade.
India is coming off a shock home loss and will be raring to go but can Australia land the first punch on day one of their heavyweight bout?
Follow all the action live!
Key Events
18th Over - IND 3-36
Cummins to Rahul.
Edges wide of gully as the ball runs away from four.
Either side he’s beaten outside off as the tough conditions continue.
17th Over - IND 3-32
Pant the new man. We know the damage he can do.
Beaten first up as Carey goes up half-heartedly, this is supreme bowling from Australia.
OUT KOHLI IS GONE!!
On a length outside off but the bounce is vicious and Kohli can only fend straight into the hands of Usman Khawaja at slip.
Massive moment. Massive wicket and an early failure for Kohli on this tour
16th Over - IND 2-32
Cummins to Kohli.
He gets a single square off an inside-edge.
Shot of the morning from Rahul as he drives Cummins through the covers but a slow outfield keeps it to three.
Kohli drives aerially but wide of Cummins for another three as the ball pulls up again.
FOUR! Rahul goes aggressive and slaps Cummins through point four a boundary to bring up 3000 runs in his Test career. Expensive over.
15th Over - IND 2-21
Kohli is off the mark with a single down to fine leg as Rahul defends the rest of the over.
Record crowd, more than 24,000 fans have passed through the gates breaking the single-day record for a Test here.
14th Over - IND 2-20
Cummins extracts some extra bounce but then strays on the pads and is worked for two.
Cummins is back on the money to finish and there’s an LBW shout but the bounce will save Rahul
Tight start from Australia
It’s been a relentless start from Australia after Starc’s wayward first ball. India are crawling at 1.38 runs per over and of lost two wickets.
Starc has appeared fired-up while Cummins and Hazlewood are just working away outside off.
But India’s two best bats are at the crease in Kohli and Rahul and they will look to go big.
13th Over - IND 2-18
Kohli on strike as he fends one away at to gully to start.
He’s batting a long way out of the crease as he edges on the bounce to slips.
BEATEN! Classic Hazlewood delivery, lands it on a handkerchief and swings away to beat the bat and that’s drinks
12th Over - IND 2-18
The Aussies have their tails up as Rahul is now beaten by one that nips away.
FOUR! It’s not convincing as Rahul tries to sway at the way of the bouncer but doesn’t drop the bat in time and flies off the edge over the slips.
OUT Paddikal falls!
Starc’s fiery first spell is done as Hazlewood comes on from the Member’s end.
Paddikal’s torment doesn’t end however as he’s beaten by a peach.
He’s finally put out of his misery as he goes for a duck off 23 balls edging one through to Carey.
Just never looked comfortable out their and Hazlewood works him over.
Indian fans cheer as Kohli is in.
