The first match of the Test Cricket season kept Aussies in suspense as India remained on top during day 3 in Perth, leaving Australia 12-3.
The match raked in a Total TV National Reach of 2,417,000 and a Total TV National Average Audience of 1,014,000 for Seven.
India piled on the runs before ripping through Australia’s top order. Labuschagne offered no shot and was trapped by a vicious in-swinger from Bumrah.
He reviewed it, but there was no doubt it was hitting the stumps.
“Labuschange has got that horribly wrong,” said James Brayshaw in a commentary.
“The finish to this day could not have been worse for the Australian cricket team,” Brayshaw added.
Young superstar Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 161 and Virat Kohli’s back-to-form unbeaten 100 powered India to lead the way in the match series.
Kohli had rediscovered his mojo when India was considering a late declaration, deciding to ramp up his aggression to reach three figures so Australia could bat before stumps.
The 36-year-old brought up just his third Test century since 2020 by sweeping part-timer Labuschagne to the boundary.
Over on Channel Nine, 60 Minutes detailed the new evidence and an intensified legal campaign which could see Erik and Lyle Menendez, jailed for life in 1996 for murdering their parents, walk free.
The episode saw a Total TV National Reach of 1,869,000 and a Total TV National Average Audience of 935,000.
Their lawyer, Cliff Gardner, told 60 Minutes that after nearly 35 years in jail, the brothers should be released.
“It’s certainly the first positive development in the case for probably 30 years,” he said.
On Channel 10, Dessert Masters saw the crowning of John Demetrios as he took out the top spot with a near-perfect final score of 38 out of a potential 40 points from judges Melissa Leong and Amaury Guichon.
The finale raked in a Total TV National Reach of 903,000.
