In Stats: Harris’ High, Vihari’s Wickets Headline Day 1 at Perth

Statistical highlights from Day 1 of the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy between Australia and India.

Aaron Finch and Marcus Harris shared the series’ first 100-run stand, while Hanuma Vihari was India’s surprise star with the ball on Day 1 at Perth.

(Photo: BCCI/Altered by The Quint)

Australia edged the honours on the opening day of their second Test against India, going into stumps at 277/6 after having opted to bat.

Expectations of a fast, bouncing track in what was the first Test at Perth not to be played at the iconic WACA Stadium led India to field a four-pronged pace attack. But the hosts negated the Indian fast bowlers to dominate the morning session, with Marcus Harris and Aaron Finch registering the first 100+ stand of the series.

A look at the statistical highlights from Day 1 of the Perth Test:

The Perth Stadium became the 10th venue in Australia to host a Test match.

• The Perth Stadium, also known as the Optus Stadium, became the 10th venue in Australia to host Test matches. It also became the 117th venue in the world to host Test cricket.

In his fifth Test as Australian captain, Tim Paine won a toss for the first time.

• Tim Paine won his first toss as Australia's Test captain; he had lost the toss in the four previous Test matches he had been captain.
• India fielded four fast bowlers in the playing XI; it was the second time in Test matches this year – after the Test match against South Africa in Johannesburg – that India had fielded a bowling attack comprising four specialist fast bowlers only.
• Australian openers Marcus Harris and Aaron Finch posted a 112-run partnership; it was the first time in 24 Test matches any team's opening pair had scored a century opening partnership against India. The last time before Australia's first innings in Perth any team had managed a century opening stand against India was when England's Alastair Cook and Keaton Jennings stitched together a partnership of 103 in the second innings of the Chennai Test played in December 2016.

Australian openers Aaron Finch (left) and Marcus Harris shared a 112-run stand on Day 1 of the Perth Test against India.

• The partnership of 112 between Harris and Finch would also be Australia's best partnership so far in the Test series. In the first Test at Adelaide, Australia's highest partnership was worth 50 runs – posted by the seventh wicket pair of Travis Head and Pat Cummins.
• The partnership of 112 between Harris and Finch would be the highest partnership (all wickets) in first-class matches at the Perth Stadium; in the only Sheffield Shield match played at the venue previously, the highest partnership recorded was 112 runs (8th-wicket pair).

Marcus Harris registered his maiden Test half-century, in what was his third innings.

• Marcus Harris went on to make 70 – his maiden half-century in Test cricket. In his debut Test at Adelaide, he had made identical scores of 26 in both the innings.
• The catch he took to dismiss Peter Handscomb was Virat Kohli's 100th catch in first-class cricket.
• Hanuma Vihari was called on to bowl 14 overs on Day 1 of the Perth Test; it was the most overs the 25-year-old Andhra all-rounder had bowled in an innings in first-class cricket.

Hanuma Vihari’s (center) first five wickets in Test cricket: Root, Cook, S Curran, M Harris, S Marsh.

• As at the end of the opening day's play in the Perth Test, Vihari has five Test wickets; his scalps are: Joe Root, Alastair Cook, Sam Curran, Marcus Harris and Shaun Marsh.
• Australia finished the opening day at 277/6; to put Australia's total in context, in the only first-class match played at the venue previously, New South Wales made 261 batting first and went on to win the game by 104 runs.