BGT Second Test: Australia Crawls Back

Day One:

After a comprehensive thrashing in the first test at Perth, the Australians had much to prove to themselves as well as to the world watching. The day-night test set to begin at Adelaide was an extremely crucial one for the Aussies. A loss here would rattle them as a side.

Mitchell Starc, though, had other plans. From the very first ball of the game, the fiery-left hander showed why he is rated so highly, with a beautiful delivery pitching on leg stump and straightening after pitching, sending the centurion from the last innings back for a golden duck.

Shubman Gill joined KL Rahul, and they were both showing intent from ball one, while also being solid in defense and leaving with precision. Shortly after notching up a 50-run partnership though, Rahul fell to a sharp back-of-the-length delivery from Starc, and an even sharper catch from McSweeney at gully.

One brings two, as the cliche goes. India never really recovered from there, as wickets fell in heaps as the floodgates opened. The late swing on display was too much for the Indian batters, and the Aussie pacers were breathing fire with the pink ball. Four big wickets fell in the next 40 runs as Kohli, Gill, Rohit and Pant were sent back by the pace of the Australian quicks.

Nitish Kumar Reddy seemed to continue his form from the last game, playing extravagant shots, reverse sweeping pacers and hitting clean inside-outs on his way to a quickfire 42 off 54 balls.

But he was dismissed by Starc too, and India’s tail got swept away with the team getting bowled out for 180, and Mitchell Starc ending with figures of 14.1-2-48-6. Australia looked at ease under lights. Despite loosing Khawaja early, McSweeney and Labuschagne played out the day, with Australia cruising at 86-1 at stumps. Day one was well and truly dominated by the hosts.

Day Two:

The second day began with the set McSweeney being dismissed by Indian vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah. Smith went back cheaply too, caught down the leg-side with his horror series continuing. Out came the man who is known for giving the Indians plenty of headaches. Travis Head at his home ground went at it straightaway as he took to the Indian quicks and thrashed them all around the ground. When they went full he would flay them through the off side with his trademark drives with the follow-through over the shoulders, and when he got anything short, he was quick to pounce on it with belligerent cuts and pulls.

Labuschagne on the other end quietly went about his business and got a well-made fifty. Not his best, but one that he desperately needed given his abhorrent form in the recent past. Soon after his fifty, he was dismissed by an incredible catch at gully by Yashasvi Jaiswal. Mitchell Marsh got out quickly as well with a straight-one from Ashwin.

Head, however, was treating him differently as he pounded Ashwin down the ground and through the covers. With a soft glance on the leg-side, Head brought up his 8th test ton. It wasn’t until he got to 140 that he was finally sent back by a searing yorker from Siraj, with the bowler giving Head an ugly send-off.

Australia were finally bowled out for 337, with a match-winning lead of 157. The Indians had a massive task on their hands, with Jaiswal and Rahul coming to bat against Starc under lights. Jaiswal looked like he had put his golden duck behind him as he looked comfortable against the swing. His partner, however, was cramped for room and gloved one to Alex Carey behind the stumps. Nobody was able to solidify the innings for India or provide the much needed partnership that they required. This time around it was skipper Pat Cummins & Scott Boland who were making dents in the Indian lineup.

Some brave batting from Pant (including some ridiculous shots) took India to 128-5, but it looked bleak for them as day three approached.

Day Three:

Nitish Kumar Reddy and Rishabh Pant came out with an enormous work set in front of them. The pair wouldn’t last as Pant was sent back early on the third day. Young Reddy tried to consolidate with the veteran Ashwin at the other end, getting to another well made 42. His 40s in this series have given his test career a great start. The Australians started bowling bodyline, coming around the wicket and making it extremely difficult for the Indians to negate. After a few blows on the helmet and copping a few on the gloves, the Indians were all-out for 175, with Australia needing 19 to win. Khawaja and McSweeney got the job done easily and Australia won the pink-ball test with 10 wickets.

With the series in balance, the third-test at Brisbane is set to be a riveting encounter. The Indians will remember what they did at the Gabba the last time they were there, and the Australians will fight tooth and nail to go two-one up in the series.

-Vibhor Dubey