At the close of the second session on the first day of the second Test at Adelaide Oval on Friday, Mitchell Starc’s six-wicket haul helped Australia defeat short bursts of resistance from Indian talents KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, and Nitish Kumar Reddy. The visitors were all out for 180.
India was all-out for 180 runs at the close of the second session, with Nitish (42) leading the team in runs scored. But with a spectacular six-fer, Starc (6/48) destroyed India, delivering yet another achievement to his impressive pink-ball Test record.
With captain Rohit Sharma (1) and Rishabh Pant (4) undefeated, India began the second session at 81/4.
After struggling against the Australian bowling attack, Scott Boland trapped the Indian captain leg-before-wicket for a tumultuous three runs in twenty-three deliveries. In 25.5 overs, India scored 87/5.
Nitish Kumar Reddy, who charmed many people over with his aggressive hitting and recorded runs of 41 and 38* in the Perth Test, joined Pant.
With a delicate boundary towards mid-off from Nitish, India hit the 100-run milestone in 30.4 overs.
The captain, Pat Cummins, got rid of Pant for 21 in 35 balls in the 33rd over. As Pant attempted to defend himself, Marnus Labuschagne caught him at a wide gully because he was unable to handle the uncomfortably high quantity of bounce. In 32.5 overs, India scored 109/6.
Next up was Ravichandran Ashwin, who attempted to use some boundaries to put pressure on the Australian bowlers and provide Nitish with some help. However, Starc caught him leg before wicket with three fours and a brilliant delivery for 22 in 22 balls. In 38.2 overs, India scored 141/7. Starc removed Harshit Rana for a duck three balls later, completing his five-wicket haul. In 38.5 overs, India scored 141/8.
Nitish bravely faced Boland and hammered him for two sixes and a four, giving India some much-needed extra runs. Boland produced two no balls as a result of his line and length becoming extremely erratic. From his over, 21 runs were scored.
His comeback, though, was short-lived as Nitish was Starc’s sixth wicket for 42 in 54 balls, including three fours and three sixes, and Cummins got Bumrah for a duck. In 44.1 overs, India went out for 180 runs.
With a remarkable fifer, his first against India in Test cricket and his fourth in day and night Test cricket, the most by any bowler, Starc (6/48 in 14.1 overs) cemented his reputation as maybe the best pink-ball Test bowler. Boland and Cummins both claimed two wickets.
India was 82/4 at tea, with captain Rohit Sharma (1) and Rishabh Pant (4) undefeated.
India got off to a bad start after choosing to bat first when opener Yashasvi Jaiswal was caught leg-before-wicket plumb on the opening ball of the innings. India had a score of 0/1.
The two at the crease who had to see off the new, sparkling, pink ball were Shubman Gill and KL Rahul. With two elegant boundaries against Mitchell Starc, who had just removed Jaiswal from the game, Gill demonstrated his aggressive determination upon his return from a thumb injury.
Gill was doing a great job of hitting Starc for an unexpected boundary. To the excitement of the supporters, a no ball was declared after wicketkeeper Alex Carey caught Rahul behind on a delivery by Scott Boland in the eighth over.
India was 30/1 at the end of the first ten overs, with KL (9) and Gill (19) undefeated.
With some impressive drives, including two consecutive boundaries against Australian captain Pat Cummins in the 15th over, Rahul, who appeared to be in top form during the Perth Test, showed it off to the Adelaide crowd and helped India reach the 50-run mark in 14.5 overs. The speed three of Cummins, Boland, and Starc were being patiently dismissed by KL (26) and Gill (25), who were punishing stray balls with contemptuous drives.
Starc terminated KL’s stay at the crease with a brilliant grab at Gully from Nathan McSweeney. KL had six fours and was out for 37 in 64 balls. In 18.4 overs, India was at 69/2.