2nd Test: Starc Shines with Six-Wicket Haul, Australian Batters Hold Firm

Adelaide, Dec 6 (NationPress) Mitchell Starc was outstanding once again with the pink ball, taking a remarkable six wickets that led to India being bowled out for 180 on Day One of the second Test at Adelaide Oval on Friday. At the end of the day's play, Nathan McSweeney and Marnus Labuschagne, who were not out on 38 and 20 respectively, displayed a disciplined approach against India’s bowlers, forming a solid, unbroken 62-run partnership for the second wicket, helping Australia reach 86/1 in 33 overs, trailing the visitors by 94 runs.

Playing under overcast conditions, Starc achieved his best-ever Test performance with figures of 6-48, claiming the wicket of Yashasvi Jaiswal with the very first delivery of the match in front of a record crowd of 50,186. Following that, India managed to build their innings on the foundation of a 69-run partnership between K.L. Rahul and Shubman Gill.

However, Starc quickly made his mark again, taking out Rahul and then Virat Kohli, while Scott Boland trapped Shubman Gill lbw, causing India to slump from 69/1 to 81/4 in the first session. Starc continued to dominate with his in-swinging yorkers, dismissing Nitish Kumar Reddy, who was India’s top scorer with 42, marking his first five-wicket haul against India.

In the final session, the pink ball moved significantly for India’s seamers, but they struggled to pressure the stumps, managing to take only one wicket. Jasprit Bumrah showcased his skills by challenging McSweeney, finding his outside edge.

Rishabh Pant dived to his right to attempt a catch but only got a fingertip on it. Rohit Sharma failed to secure the catch on the rebound, resulting in McSweeney getting a second chance on three runs. Bumrah eventually claimed a wicket when Usman Khawaja edged a rising delivery to slip. Labuschagne took 19 balls to get off the mark before hitting his first boundary off Siraj.

Meanwhile, McSweeney grew more confident, pulling and driving for boundaries, successfully hitting Nitish Kumar Reddy for consecutive fours. Even with floodlights malfunctioning twice, McSweeney and Labuschagne managed to secure a couple of boundaries, ensuring Australia ended Day One on a positive note. Earlier, India won the toss and chose to bat first, while Australia wore black armbands in remembrance of Phil Hughes and Ian Redpath. Starc provided Australia with an ideal start by trapping Jaiswal lbw with a delivery that swung back in.

Gill, returning after missing the Perth Test due to a thumb injury, quickly made his presence felt with elegant drives and late cuts, scoring four boundaries off Starc. Rahul exhibited patience outside off and looked solid until he edged Boland’s first ball, which everyone thought was a catch behind for an 18-ball duck. However, Rahul was given a lifeline as Boland had overstepped, and the snicko indicated no edge. Just moments later, Rahul received another chance when Khawaja dropped a catch at slip.

From that point, Rahul and Gill took advantage of Australia’s wayward bowling, stitching a partnership of 69 runs for the second wicket. Just when it seemed the session would end favorably for India, Starc returned to turn the tide dramatically.

He first had Rahul caught at gully off a back-of-the-length ball, and then caught Kohli in a moment of indecision, leading to a catch in slips.

Boland, playing his first Test in 18 months, trapped a lazily flicking Gill plumb lbw for 31, allowing Australia to finish the session on a high note by taking the last three Indian wickets for just 12 runs in 16 balls.

After the dinner break, Boland struck again, getting a fuller ball to catch Rohit in the crease and trapping him lbw. India could have found themselves six down if McSweeney had held onto a catch off Pant when he was on five.

Pant managed to add 16 more runs before a rising delivery from Cummins took the shoulder edge of his bat, leading to a catch at gully. Ravichandran Ashwin played some eye-catching shots against Marsh and Cummins, but Starc trapped him lbw with a well-placed in-swinging yorker and bowled Harshit Rana with another inswinger.

As wickets fell from one end, Reddy launched a counter-attack. After hitting an off-drive for four off Cummins, Reddy smashed Boland through mid-off for another boundary.

Following a stunning six over deep extra cover off Starc, Reddy went on to reverse-scoop, flick, and pull Boland for two sixes and a four. Nevertheless, Australia continued to chip away, with Cummins getting Jasprit Bumrah to edge to first slip, while Starc wrapped up the innings by having Reddy caught out at mid-off.

Brief scores:

India 180 all out in 44.1 overs (Nitish Kumar Reddy 42, KL Rahul 37; Mitchell Starc 6-48, Pat Cummins 2-41) trail Australia 86/1 in 33 overs (Nathan McSweeney 38 not out, Marnus Labuschagne 20 not out; Jasprit Bumrah 1-13) by 94 runs.