Australia 12-3 after Kohli, Jaiswal centuries power India in Perth Test

Hosts lose three wickets in 4 overs in pursuit of a target of 534 to win the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Hosts Australia are on tenterhooks as they started to chase a target of 534 runs to win the first Test of the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against India in Perth.

Virat Kohli roared back into run-scoring form to score a century after Yashasvi Jaiswal’s majestic innings of 161 as India zeroed in on victory and a 1-0 series lead on Sunday.

The visitors declared their second innings on 487-6 in the final session of day three after Kohli reached 100.

The day belonged to Jaiswal, who hit 15 fours and three sixes in a mature 297-ball stay.

The 22-year-old opener, in his 15th Test, seemed destined for a double century but he cut Mitchell Marsh to Steve Smith at point and departed to a standing ovation.

It was his fourth Test century and first in Australia.

Since scoring 171 on debut against the West Indies in 2023 Jaiswal has cemented his place at the top of the Indian order.

An eye-opening 214 not out at home against England this year catapulted him to stardom, but concerns lingered over how he would perform in Australian conditions.

After being out for a duck in the first innings, his response against one of the world’s best attacks put any doubts to bed.

Padding up on 172-0, Jaiswal took a risky single off Josh Hazlewood’s opening ball to signal his attacking intent.

The left-hander, who began on 90, reached three figures with an extraordinary six off Hazlewood, hitting the boundary marker on the full, triumphantly raising his arms in the air.

Kohli was also on fire in a welcome resurgence after a lengthy lean spell that prompted questions about his place in the team.

The 36-year-old cricketer rode his luck to bring up the 30th Test century, which was his first since July last year, to silence the critics.

While Kohli has struggled in recent Tests, he has an exceptional record in Australia, with seven centuries in the country now, averaging more than 54.

Along with Jaiswal, Australia removed Devdutt Padikkal (25), Rishabh Pant (1), Dhruv Jurel (1) and Washington Sundar (29), having accounted for KL Rahul (77) before lunch.

Rahul’s wicket snapped a 201-run opening partnership with Jaiswal, a record for India in Australia, eclipsing the previous best set by Sunil Gavaskar and Kris Srikkanth in Sydney in 1986.

Faced with an ominous target, Australia needed to survive 30 minutes before stumps.

But they instead imploded with rookie Nathan McSweeney out for a duck to Jasprit Bumrah and nightwatchman Pat Cummins falling for two, edging Mohammed Siraj to Kohli at slip.

When Bumrah trapped Marnus Labuschagne (3) lbw, stumps were called with Usman Khawaja not out on three and Australia in disarray at 12-3.