Nagpur (TIP)- India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja on Thursday, February 9,  bagged a five-wicket haul in the first innings of the ongoing first Test against Australia in Nagpur. Returning to the team after a long injury lay-off, Jadeja scalped his 11th Test five-for to put India in a commanding positions. Jadeja returned figures of five for 42 as Australia were bowled out for a paltry total of 177 in the first innings after opting to bat first at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium. Resuming play at tea on 174/8, Jadeja and Ashwin struck in quick succession as India bowled out Australia for cheap.

Jadeja was the wrecker-in-chief during the second session as he broke the 82-run stand between Steve Smith (37) and Marnus Labuschagne (49) before trapping Matt Renshaw and Todd Murphy.

Jadeja (5/47) then trapped Peter Handscomb (31) in the final session of the day as Australia were bowled out in 63.5 overs.

Alex Carrey scored a 33-ball 36 before veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin (3/42), who was the other wicket-taker for India in the second session, ended his stay in the middle.

Earlier, pacers Mohammed Shami (1/18) and Mohammed Siraj (1/30) dealt early blows to the visitors, removing openers Usman Khwaja (1) and David Warner (1) within the first three overs.

Australia, led by Pat Cummins, dropped left-hander Travis Head and gave off-spinner Todd Murphy his international debut.

Rohit Sharma’s India handed Test caps to Twenty20 sensation Suryakumar Yadav and wicketkeeper Srikar Bharat.

India eye a fourth straight Border-Gavaskar Trophy win over Australia. They also eye a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.

Jadeja applies ‘ointment on sore finger’, triggers debate

Ravindra Jadeja drew attention not only for demolishing Australia with his fifer on the opening day of the first Test but also for applying something on his spinning finger, triggering a debate on what it was.

A video made way to social media, showing Jadeja receiving something from his teammate Mohammed Siraj and then applying and rubbing that on his left index finger, something that had Australian media and a former player interested.

When a fan shared the footage with former Australia captain Tim Paine, he replied, “interesting”.

However, a BCCI source told PTI that it was an “ointment for pain relief for the sore finger”.

David Warner and Steve Smith, who are part of the visiting side, served bans for their role in the ball-tampering scandal in 2018 in South Africa.