Australia sustained their impressive resurgence in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, excelling in the pink-ball Test in Adelaide on Day 2 with both bat and ball.
Initially, it was the ‘usual suspect’, Travis Head, who crushed India’s aspirations by overcoming the first-innings deficit with an impressive 140 off 141 balls. Mitchell Starc and the Australian fast bowlers viciously swung the pink ball under the floodlights, putting India in serious trouble at the close of play on Saturday.
All the excitement of a Super Sunday vanished, at least for Indian fans, as Rohit Sharma’s team hovered on the edge of a devastating loss in the pink-ball Test. At the end of Day 2, India scored 128 for 5, still trailing by 29 runs behind Australia’s first-innings score.
Rishabh Pant remained at the crease, even after employing several unconventional shots, with novice all-rounder Nitish Reddy alongside him.
Rohit-Virat under fire
The Adelaide Test served as a reality check for India following their success in Perth. Weak batting, excessive dependence on Jasprit Bumrah, and lackluster captaincy from Rohit Sharma enabled Australia to take control. Pat Cummins and his team appeared more driven, motivated by the pain of their initial Test loss, as they showcased an almost perfect display over the last two days at the Adelaide Oval.
There will certainly be increased examination of the prospects of veteran players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma after this pink-ball Test. Both looked exposed at the crease, not managing to have a substantial influence in either innings. When India required their experienced players to step up after trailing by 157 runs in the second innings, neither Kohli nor Rohit instilled confidence, much less produced a vital score to challenge Australia.
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India’s ‘nemesis’ Travis Head
Travis Head’s dynamic 141 was crucial, putting an end to India’s chances of matching their Perth brilliance. India, dismissed for 150 in the series opener’s first innings, was rescued by Jasprit Bumrah’s remarkable bowling display in Perth, where he guided the team in Rohit’s absence to restrict Australia to just 104.
In Adelaide, India achieved a marginally improved score of 180 in their opening innings but could not counter Travis Head this time.
Head was once more the architect of India’s misery, erasing the first-innings shortfall with his aggressive 140 off 141 balls. His relentless attack broke India’s morale and drove Australia to 347, establishing what appears to be a commanding first-innings advantage of 157 runs.
