2nd Test: Head and Bowlers Establish Australia’s Dominance as India Faces Major Setback

Adelaide, Dec 7 (NationPress) Australia’s fast bowlers decimated India’s top order during the third session, concluding the day with India at 128/5 in 24 overs, placing them 29 runs behind the hosts at the end of day two of the second Test at Adelaide Oval on Saturday.

With Rishabh Pant and Nitish Kumar Reddy remaining not out on 28 and 15 respectively, the responsibility now lies with this duo to rescue India from a precarious position and avert a probable defeat. The groundwork for Australia’s commanding day was set by Travis Head, who unleashed a stunning 140 off 141 balls at his home ground, helping the hosts amass 337 to establish a 152-run lead.

It was an extraordinary innings from Head, combining his customary free-flowing cuts and pulls with extraordinary drives, hitting 17 fours and four sixes, firmly placing Australia in control to equalize the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, marking his third century in day-night Tests. After reaching his fifty in 63 balls, Head required only an additional 48 balls to achieve his eighth Test century in front of a crowd of 51,642 at his home ground. He received solid support from Marnus Labuschagne, who emerged from a slump to contribute an assured 64.

The morning session on Day Two was a tale of two halves. India initially held the advantage, with Jasprit Bumrah claiming two quick wickets. However, the confident Labuschagne, breaking out of his poor form, partnered with Head for a 67-run stand.

Nathan McSweeney added just one run to his overnight score of 38 before being dismissed by a stunning delivery from Bumrah that swung in slightly, catching the outside edge to Rishabh Pant behind the stumps. The fast-bowling spearhead had another breakthrough when he had Steve Smith caught down the leg side for merely two. However, Labuschagne found his rhythm, capitalizing on straighter deliveries from the Indian bowlers. He deftly glanced Harshit Rana for two boundaries and drove Siraj through extra cover for another four, while also surviving an lbw appeal.

From the other end, Head quickly engaged in run-scoring by driving Bumrah for four, followed by smashing a half-volley from Ravichandran Ashwin over mid-off for six. After Labuschagne reached his 21st half-century in Test cricket off 114 balls, he and Head capitalized on a wayward Rana, scoring 17 runs in the 51st over.

Head cut through backward point for four, while Labuschagne glided, dabbed, and pulled Rana to collect three quick boundaries. Labuschagne was dismissed for 64, caught in the gully after edging a short and wide ball from Reddy. Head, however, continued his dominion, sweeping Ashwin for six, flicking Siraj for four, and achieved his fifty off 63 balls by punching him through cover for a boundary before the dinner break.

The second session featured Head and Mitchell Marsh scoring four runs each off Bumrah before Marsh attempted to defend a sliding off-break from Ashwin but edged it behind to Pant, exiting even before umpire Richard Illingworth raised his finger.

Replays revealed a flat line on Snicko, indicating Marsh had not touched it at all. After swatting Bumrah for four, Head danced down the pitch to hammer a six over his head. He attempted another big shot off Ashwin over mid-on but toed it, leading to a dropped catch by Mohammed Siraj.

Boundaries flowed for Head as he struck four exquisite boundaries off Rana, one of which sailed between the keeper and a wide first slip. Head reached his century in just 111 balls with a single to square leg, celebrating with a fist pump, performing the rock-the-baby celebration, and holding the bat handle inside his helmet, as the sellout crowd erupted in joy over the local star’s remarkable achievement.

Head continued to assault Rana with lofted drives and thumping shots, slashing Siraj for another four. Although Siraj had Alex Carey caught behind for 15, Head pressed on, elegantly clipping and flicking for three fours and a six off Siraj and Bumrah, who required medical attention due to cramping in his left leg’s adductor region.

Nevertheless, Siraj retaliated by clean bowling Head with an exceptional in-swinging yorker, giving him a fiery send-off, which Head responded to before departing to a standing ovation from the crowd. Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins scored four boundaries between themselves before Bumrah bowled Cummins with a brilliant inswinger just before tea.

Siraj returned post-tea to dismiss Mitchell Starc who chipped to mid-off, followed by bowling Scott Boland in successive overs, concluding with figures of 4-98 as Australia’s innings ended just 2.3 overs into the final session. India’s second innings commenced with Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul each striking four runs off Mitchell Starc.

However, Cummins struck, delivering a short ball that nipped back into Rahul, cramping him for room. Rahul attempted to hook late but could only glove it behind to Carey, departing for seven. Jaiswal secured three boundaries through drives and slashes before edging a fourth stump delivery from Boland to Carey.

Boland relentlessly tested Virat Kohli in the channel outside off stump, ultimately inducing an outside edge as Kohli lunged forward. Yet, Pant retaliated aggressively, charging down the ground to smash Boland over mid-off, even producing an audacious reverse lap sweep over the slips for another boundary.

Despite being beaten by Boland, Pant found a liking for his pace, driving through extra cover for a boundary and unfurling a hook shot to the fine leg fence for another four.

However, India remained in dire straits as Starc bowled Shubman Gill with a beautiful full inswinger, while Rohit Sharma, who narrowly escaped previously due to a no-ball from Starc, fell victim to a length ball from Cummins that straightened after pitching, toppling his off stump.

Reddy faced an early test from Starc, edging for four, and survived an lbw appeal from Cummins, resulting in Australia burning their review. But he executed a gorgeous cover drive off Cummins, and after Pant sliced Boland for a boundary, Reddy concluded an eventful day two with a four off an inner edge from a smash.

Brief scores:

India 180 and 128/5 in 24 overs (Rishabh Pant 28 not out, Shubman Gill 28; Pat Cummins 2-33, Scott Boland 2-39) trail Australia 337 in 87.3 overs (Travis Head 140, Marnus Labuschagne 64; Jasprit Bumrah 4-59, Mohammed Siraj 4-98) by 29 runs