Perth [Australia]: Actor Anushka Sharma on Saturday marked her presence at Perth’s Optus Stadium during the first Test between India and Australia, cheering for the Indian team as her husband Virat Kohli and skipper Jasprit Bumrah displayed their brilliant chemistry as a leadership duo, helping India gain a first innings lead after restricting Australia to a low score.
Several pictures from the stadium went viral in which Anushka was seen in full cheer mood.
Coming to the match, India won the toss and opted to bat first. They lost wickets at regular intervals, with KL Rahul (26 in 74 balls, with three fours) being the only batter in the top order who could survive for long. Rishabh Pant (37 in 78 balls, with three fours and a six) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (41 in 59 balls, with six fours and a six) put on an important 48-run stand for the seventh wicket that took India to 150/10.
Josh Hazlewood was the top wicket-taker for the Aussies, taking 4/29. Skipper Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Alex Carey got two each.
Thanks to a four-wicket haul by Bumrah, Australia ended the day one struggling at 67/7. None of the top six batters could touch the 20-run mark. On day two, Carey (21) and Mitchell Starc (26) crossed the 20-run mark, but the Aussies could manage only 104 runs and got a lead of 46 runs.
Bumrah (5/30) was the start of the show for India, while Harshit Rana (3/48) and Mohammed Siraj (2/20) also bowled really well.