Jasprit Bumrah was the star of the opening day, claiming an impressive four-wicket haul that left Australia struggling at 67/7.
On the second day, overnight batters Mitchell Starc and Alex Carey resumed their innings, but Bumrah wasted no time, dismissing Carey with a sharp short ball in just the second over.
Nathan Lyon joined Starc at the crease, but amidst India’s commanding performance, a light-hearted moment unfolded between Harshit Rana and Starc.
In the 30th over, Rana delivered four consecutive tight balls to Starc, conceding no runs. On the fifth delivery, a back-of-a-length ball soared sharply off the lively Perth pitch, striking Starc’s bat shoulder and falling just short of Virat Kohli at second slip.
As the ball trickled away, Rana cheekily stuck out his tongue and flashed a smile at his IPL teammate. Starc grinned in response, joking, “I bowl faster than you,” to which Rana laughed before returning to his mark.
Mitch Starc offers a little warning to Harshit Rana 😆#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/KoFFsdNbV2
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 23, 2024
Their playful exchange entertained fans and sparked a frenzy on Twitter, with many reacting to the wholesome moment.