Australia hammered India into submission in the final session of Day 1, hammering 157 runs in a wicketless session, as Steven Smith (95*) and Travis Head (146*) put their side in pole position in the World Test Championship Final of 2023. After ending the second session at 170-3, with the partnership just short of a century, the duo smashed more than a hundred runs in the final session to assert their stamp of dominance over the Indian bowling attack. The carnage began ensued after India opted to bowl on Day 1 of the World Test Championship final at the Oval, and picked up three wickets until the second over after lunch.

Little did they know that they would spend the better part of the next two sessions retrieving the ball from the boundary as Travis Head and Steven Smith led a steady recovery, and then went on to toy with the bowling attack when the pitch flattened out. The conditions had considerably eased out, with the divots in the pitch being baked by the sun, meaning that the pronounced seam movement and uneven bounce would no longer aid the Indian bowlers, and would no longer bother the Australian batsmen. The final session yielded 157 runs and barring the edges (Steven Smith's) that landed short of the cordon, India failed to create sufficient chances.

Earlier in the day, India won the toss and asked Australia to bat first. Australia lost Usman Khawaja early for a duck, courtesy a peach by Mohammed Siraj, before Marnus Labuschagne and David Warner saw off the early threat and cut loose. However, Warner and Labuschagne departed on either side of the lunch break, courtesy Shardul Thakur and Mohammed Shami respectively.

Australia were in a pickle at 76-3, before Travis Head and Steven Smith rebuilt the innings and then counterattacked, to pile it on the Indian bowlers, who looked out of their depth against the unadulterated brutality. Head got to a hundred off just 106 balls, while Smith showed more attrition, but absolutely watertight defence, and no sign of vulnerability. By the end of the day, the peach from Mohammed Shami looked like a distant dream, as Australia ended the day on 327-3, with the Head-Smith pair putting on an unbeaten 251 for the fourth wicket.

India bowled 28 balls with the new ball at the end of the day, failing to break through, and will look to capitalize on it on Day 2.

As it stands at this moment, it's Australia's game - nay, title - to lose.

Brief Scores: Australia 327-3 in 85 overs(Travis Head 146*, Steven Smith 95*, Mohammed Siraj 1-67 )vs. India