India rout Australia by 295 runs in 1st test

PERTH, Australia (AP) — India hammed Australia by 295 runs in the opening Border-Gavaskar test to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series with more than a day to spare at Perth Stadium on Monday.

Set an impossible 534 runs to win, Australia was bowled out for 238 runs soon after tea on the fourth day as India secured its biggest win against the hosts in Australia following the 222-run win at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in December 1977.

Travis Head top scored for the homeside with 89 runs off 101 balls with eight fours. Head tried to delay the inevitable defeat first with Steve Smith (17), sharing 62 runs for the fifth wicket to lift Australia from 17-4 soon after it resumed the day from an overnight 12-3.

Then in the company of hard-hitting Mitchell Marsh (47), Head added 82 runs for the sixth wicket before fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah forced the left hander to edge to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.

Bumrah finished with a match-haul of 8-72 (5-30 and 3-42) and increased his wicket tally in Australia to 40 at an average of 18.80 in eight test matches. Bumrah passed offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin (39 wickets) as the third most successful Indian bowler in Australia behind swing bowler Kapil Dev (51 in 11) and legspinner Anil Kumble (49 in 10).

Fast bowler Mohamed Siraj took 3-51.

Test debutante and fast bowler Harshit Rana bowled Alex Carey for 36 to seal a wonderful win for India.

It was also India's second biggest win in terms of runs against Australia in all tests since the 320-run win at home in Mohali in October 2008.

India's comfortable win was set up by two majestic centuries — Yashasvi Jaiswal's 161 and an unbeaten 100 by evergreen Virat Kohli — as the tourists set Australia the highest-ever run chase on a pitch that was getting increasingly difficult to bat on.

Playing only its fourth five-test series since its first tour here in 1947/48, India secured only its 10th win in 53 tests on Australian soil and only its second in Perth in six test matches. India last won in Perth in 2008 at the old WACA ground.

India had gone into the test without skipper Rohit Sharma, who stayed home for the birth of his second child and batsman Shubman Gill who suffered a broken finger during a practice match between the squad.

But a young and inexperienced team under Bumrah redeemed itself and turned its fortunes around following an embarrassing 3-0 home series loss to New Zealand leading into this test series.

After an eventful start to the test that saw 17 wickets fall on the first day, India took control of the test as it plundered 487-6 declared. This was after it was bowled out for 150 after winning the toss and then dismissed Australia for a paltry 104.

But the test belonged to 22-year-old Jaiswal who provided the backbone of the Indian second innings that will be long remembered for it class and exuberance against the much-vaunted Australian pace attack. It was his third century in 2024 and anchored the innings with a record 201-run opening stand with KL Rahul (77).

Kohli then took over to become the most successful visiting batsman in Australia by scoring his seventh hundred here before India declared. Only Englishman Jack Hobbs (9) has scored more hundreds in Australia in 24 matches. Kohli has played only 14 games.

The start of day four did not go well for the hosts as Siraj forced Khawaja (4) to top edge for Pant to complete a running catch to reduce Australia to 17-4.

But Smith and Head survived some anxious moments against India’s pace quartet and Head counterattacked his way to a 63-ball half century with six fours.

Smith put behind his first ball nought in the first innings to play a watchful innings, but was eventually undone by a superb Siraj delivery.

The series now moves to Adelaide for a pink ball test from Dec. 6.

India has held the Border-Gavaskar trophy since the 2016/17 home series.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

India's Virat Kohli, left, KL Rahul and captain Jasprit Bumrah celebrate the wicket of Australia's Travis Head on the fourth day of the first cricket test between Australia and India in Perth, Australia, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Trevor Collens)

Australia's Mitchell Marsh reacts after losing his wicket on the fourth day of the first cricket test between Australia and India in Perth, Australia, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Trevor Collens)

Australia's Nathan Lyon is bowled out by India's Washington Sundar on the fourth day of the first cricket test between Australia and India in Perth, Australia, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Trevor Collens)

India's captain Jasprit Bumrah leaves the field carrying a stump after winning the first cricket test against Australia in Perth, Australia, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Trevor Collens)

India's captain Jasprit Bumrah hugs teammate Virat Kohli after winning the first cricket test against Australia in Perth, Australia, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Trevor Collens)

Australia's Alex Carey is bowled out by India's Harshit Rana on the fourth day of the first cricket test between Australia and India in Perth, Australia, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Trevor Collens)

India's fans celebrate after India won the first cricket test against Australia in Perth, Australia, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Trevor Collens)

India's Harshit Rana, left, celebrates the wicket of Australia's Alex Carey on the fourth day of the first cricket test between Australia and India in Perth, Australia, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Trevor Collens)

India's captain Jasprit Bumrah gestures as he prepares to bowl on the fourth day of the first cricket test between Australia and India in Perth, Australia, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Trevor Collens)

Australia's Usman Khawaja reacts after losing his wicket to India's Mohammed Siraj on the fourth day of the first cricket test between Australia and India in Perth, Australia, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Trevor Collens)

Australia's Steve Smith bats on the fourth day of the first cricket test between Australia and India in Perth, Australia, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Trevor Collens)

India's captain Jasprit Bumrah bowls a delivery on the fourth day of the first cricket test between Australia and India in Perth, Australia, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Trevor Collens)

Australia's Travis Head bats on the fourth day of the first cricket test between Australia and India in Perth, Australia, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Trevor Collens)

India's Harshit Rana appeals unsuccessfully for the wicket of Australia's Steve Smith on the fourth day of the first cricket test between Australia and India in Perth, Australia, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Trevor Collens)

Australia's Travis Head celebrates his fifty runs on the fourth day of the first cricket test between Australia and India in Perth, Australia, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Trevor Collens)

Australia's Travis Head bats on the fourth day of the first cricket test between Australia and India in Perth, Australia, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Trevor Collens)

India's players celebrate the wicket of Australia's Steve Smith on the fourth day of the first cricket test between Australia and India in Perth, Australia, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Trevor Collens)

India's Rishabh Pant, left, celebrates with teammate Nitish Kumar Reddy the wicket of Australia's Usman Khawaja on the fourth day of the first cricket test between Australia and India in Perth, Australia, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Trevor Collens)

India's Virat Kohli, right, celebrates the wicket of Australia's Steve Smith, center, who leaves the field after losing his wicket on the fourth day of the first cricket test between Australia and India in Perth, Australia, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Trevor Collens)

BANGKOK (AP) — Shares climbed in Europe and Asia on Monday, tracking last week’s gains on Wall Street, and analysts said investors were viewing President-elect Donald Trump’s choice of billionaire investor Scott Bessent as his nominee for Treasury secretary as a relatively market-friendly choice.

Bitcoin fell slightly and oil prices also declined, while U.S. futures advanced.

Germany's DAX surged 0.7% to 19,461.11 and the CAC 40 in Paris jumped 0.9% to 7,322.70. Britain's FTSE 100 was up 0.4% at 8,291.83.

The future for the S&P 500 was 0.4% higher while that for the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.6%.

In Asian trading, Tokyo's Nikkei 225 index gained 1.3% to 38,780.14 while the Kospi in Seoul rose 1.3% to 2,534.34. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 picked up 0.3% to 8,417.60.

In China, shares fell further, with the Shanghai Composite index edging 0.1% lower, to 3,263.76 and the Hang Seng in Hong Kong falling 0.4% to 19,150.99.

China’s central bank kept the interest rate on the one-year medium-term lending facility unchanged at 2%.

Shares in technology companies saw big declines, with online shopping platform Meituan falling 4% while multimedia and video games company Tencent dropped 1.5%.

India's Sensex gained 1.1% as hundreds of supporters of the main opposition party protested against billionaire Gautam Adani, who was recently indicted in the U.S. for alleged fraud and bribery. Activists are demanding the arrests of Adani and oher associates named in the case. The Adani group has denied wrongdoing. Shares in Adani Enterprises gained 4.1%.

Taiwan's Taiex added 0.2%. In Bangkok, the SET lost 0.2%.

This week will bring an update on consumer sentiment from the business group The Conference Board on Tuesday and key inflation data with the release Wednesday of the personal consumption expenditures index for October. The PCE is the Fed’s preferred measure of inflation and this will be the last PCE reading prior to a meeting of the Federal Reserve next month.

On Friday, stocks closed higher on Wall Street as the market posted its fifth straight gain and the Dow Jones Industrial Average notched another record high, gaining 1% to close at 44,296.51.

The S&P 500 rose 0.3%, to 5,969.34 while the Nasdaq composite rose 0.2% to 19,003.65. The Russell 2000 index rose 1.8%.

Markets have swung widely since the U.S. elections in November, and Trump's choices to head Treasury and other key positions that influence economic and financial policies were among the factors overhanging investor sentiment.

Bessent, 62, is a hedge fund manager considered to be closely aligned with Wall Street. He is the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary.

The proposed choice was interpreted “as a sign that President-elect Trump might adopt a more measured approach to tariffs and fiscal policy. Bessent’s influence is expected to bring nuanced economic strategies to the forefront, potentially easing concerns over abrupt policy shifts,” Stephen Innex of SPI Asset Management said in a commentary.

Investors are watching for signs of some moderation in Trump's stance toward tariffs and other policies that might affect business both at home and overseas.

But he said attention this week would likely focus more on the inflation data and what they might mean for interest rates, as the Fed holds its next policy meeting.

A majority of stocks in the S&P 500 gained ground, but those gains were kept in check by slumps for several big technology companies.

In the crypto market, bitcoin hovered around $98,000, according to CoinDesk. It has more than doubled this year and first surpassed the $99,000 level on Thursday.

In other dealings early Monday, U.S. benchmark crude oil lost 65 cents to $70.59 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, the international standard, shed 65 cents to $73.98 per barrel.

The U.S. dollar rose to 154.59 Japanese yen from 154.31 yen. The euro fell to $1.0460 from $1.0475.

FILE - The New York Stock Exchange is shown on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan, File)

A currency trader talks on the phone near the screens showing the foreign exchange rates at a foreign exchange dealing room in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Currency traders work near the screens showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), left, the foreign exchange rate between U.S. dollar and South Korean won at a foreign exchange dealing room in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

A currency trader talks on the phone near the screen showing the foreign exchange rate between U.S. dollar and South Korean won at a foreign exchange dealing room in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

A currency trader walks near the screens showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), left, the foreign exchange rate between U.S. dollar and South Korean won and the Korean Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (KOSDAQ) at a foreign exchange dealing room in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)