India have begun their Test series in Australia in style as Virat Kohli's boys crushed the home side by 31 runs to kickstart their campaign for the four-match series. It was Australian all-rounder Travis Head in the first innings followed by the Australian tail-enders in the second innings, who stood between India and their victory for a while before the tourists wrapped-up the game on the fifth day at the Adelaide Oval.
Earlier, electing to bat first, India survived a top-order collapse as batting mainstay Cheteshwar Puja stood in the middle like the Rock of Gibraltar and kept the Australian bowler at bay. Pujara's magnificent 123-run knock in the first innings and the top-scoring 71 in the second innings guided India to a memorable victory.
India's Virat Kohli (L) celebrates victory with Ravichandran Ashwin (R) during day five of the first Test match in the series against Australia at Adelaide Oval. /VCG Photo
However, a headstrong batting display by Head, which saw him smashing his team's highest score of 72 in the first innings, helped his side cut down the first innings deficit to 15 runs while the Australian tail-enders put together a valiant performance to halt India's victory for a couple of hours on the last day of the Test.
But the Indian bowlers, spearheaded by Mohammad Shami, Jaspreet Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin, polished the Australian after the umpires decided to prolong the tea break after the fall of nine Aussie wickets.
Josh Hazzlewood was the last Australian batsman to fall as Ashwin returned with the innings figure of three for 92 while fast bowlers Jaspreet Bumrah and Mohammad Shami also bagged three wickets apiece in the second innings.
Nathan Lyon (L) and Josh Hazlewood (R) of Australia walk off the field after losing the first test during day five of the first Test match against India at Adelaide Oval. /VCG Photo
Shaun Marsh was the top-scorer for the Aussies in the second innings with a patient 60 while skipper Tim Paine chipped in with a valiant 41.
Meanwhile, Indian wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant set a new Indian record of the most number of catches by a wicket-keeper after grabbing 11 catches in the whole match. He surpassed the previous record of 10 catches by Wriddhiman Saha.
He has now equaled the world record, currently held by England's former gloveman Jack Russell and South Africa's AB de Villiers.
Incidentally, for the first time, the Indian cricket team has won the first Test of a series on the Australian soil.
India will take on Australia in the second Test of the series in Perth on December 14.