Jasprit Bumrah Dismantles Steve Smith at Perth

The 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy opened at a sweltering Optus Stadium in Perth with India, missing skipper Rohit Sharma (paternity leave), led by Bumrah as stand-in captain. What followed was a masterclass in fast bowling that left Australia's celebrated batting lineup — anchored by Steve Smith — looking ordinary.

Bumrah's deliveries moved laterally off the seam at 145km/h+, seamed back sharply into right-handers, and generated steep lift from a length. In the first innings, he took 5 wickets. In the second, as Australia chased a massive target, he added another 3. His figures across the match were among the finest by any visiting fast bowler on Australian soil.

Steve Smith — average over 60, Australia's backbone across a decade — was Bumrah's central target. Bumrah bowled around and over the wicket repeatedly, testing Smith's off-stump guard. The repeated dismissals and the sustained pressure on a batsman of Smith's calibre underlined just how world-class this bowling performance was.

India won by 295 runs — one of their largest wins in Australia. Bumrah's 8 wickets in the match at under 15 runs apiece were the story of the match. Smith's struggle was not personal humiliation — he fought hard — but Bumrah's superiority was unmistakable and the cricket world watched in awe.

“The conditions here in Perth are perfect for fast bowling. I just tried to hit the right areas and let the pitch do the rest.”

“Bumrah is genuinely world-class. He can make the ball do things you don't expect at that pace. He was outstanding.”

The Perth victory gave India enormous confidence and momentum heading into the series. Bumrah's performance was compared to the great fast bowling exhibitions in Australian cricket history. Smith later reflected that Bumrah was the hardest bowler he had faced in his career.