FILE PHOTO: Cricket - ICC World Test Championship Final - Australia v India - The Oval, London, Britain - June 10, 2023 Australia's Pat Cummins celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of India's Cheteshwar Pujara Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs/File Photo
PERTH (Reuters) -Australia paceman Josh Hazlewood claimed 4-29 from 13 overs as a demoralised India were bundled out for 150 at tea on day one of the first test in Perth.
Hazlewood's third wicket of the day was his most memorable, a shocked Harshit Rana sent on his way for three when Nathan McSweeney deflected a sharp chance at fourth slip to an alert Marnus Labuschagne at third for a rare team-catch.
He followed up by having stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah caught-behind for eight as India collapsed.
In a lineup missing the nous of Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin, it had been left to Rishabh Pant (37) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (41) to try and breathe some life into India's first innings.
Local all-rounder Mitchell Marsh played destroyer-in-chief just after the long break, exposing the inexperience of Dhruv Jurel (11), caught in two minds tamely edging to second slip, and Washington Sundar (four) who presented Alex Carey with a regulation caught-behind.
At 73-6, debutant Reddy joined keeper Pant at the crease and the pair declared their positive intention.
Reddy took a liking to offspinner Nathan Lyon, twice launching him down the ground for four in the 36th over, and Mitchell Starc could have had him caught-behind on 10 the next over had the hosts reviewed a ball which replays confirmed grazed the glove.
Pant joined in the fun too, scooping fast man Pat Cummins from outside off-stump for a scarcely believable six over fine leg, all while falling down on the pitch.
But the Australia captain had the last laugh as Pant sent a leading-edge to Steve Smith at second slip.
Cummins (2-67) wrapped up the innings after 49.4 overs when Reddy, who top-scored, was caught by Usman Khawaja.
(Reporting by Joel Dubber in Perth; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)
