In the five-match Test series against Australia, the Indian men's hockey team suffered their fourth straight loss as they fell 1-3 in Perth on Friday. After a goal by Indian captain Harmanpreet Singh (12'), goals by Jeremy Hayward (19', 47') and Jack Welch (54') helped Australia win. With a strong aggressive stance, the Indian team started the match. Mandeep Singh, unmarked in the D area, sent a hard shot at goal in the first minute of the game but Australian custodian Andrew Charter saved it. Although they were awarded two direct penalty corners which they failed to convert, the home side did not let up in their attacking efforts. Australia applied the pressure but India managed to earn many penalty corners themselves. Harmanpreet Singh (12') capitalized on one of those opportunities shortly before the end of the first quarter and fired the ball into the net with power and precision to give India a 1-0 lead.
Australia rallied in the second quarter, winning two quick penalty corners and looking to get back into the game. Jeremy Hayward (19') skilfully put the ball into the goal and profited from the second penalty corner. Despite plenty of back and forth play in the game, neither team was able to score again in the quarter.
India came out swinging in the third quarter and won an early penalty corner which unfortunately did not lead to a goal. Australia, on the other hand, emphasized possession and used short passes to get past India's defence. India went on the counter-attack to keep the pressure on the hosts, but neither side could break the deadlock in the third quarter. The score was tied at one point at the end of the penultimate quarter. Australia rocked in the final quarter, breaking the circle quickly and winning a number of penalty corners.
Jeremy Hayward (47') showed his skills again by converting one to give his team the advantage. India tried their best, even came close to equalizing after giving up, but couldn't beat the Australian custodian. As it happened, Jack Welch (54') scored from a penalty corner to give the hosts a bigger lead, 3-1 on the Australian side. India made a late breakthrough, winning three straight penalty corners but failing to convert any of them. When the referee blew the whistle for full-time, Australia had won 3–1.
