Second Test: Australian Bowlers Dominate as They Decimate Indian Top Order

Adelaide, Dec 7 (NationPress) Australia's fast bowlers effectively dismantled India's top order in the third session, reducing the visitors to 128/5 in 24 overs, leaving them 29 runs adrift of the hosts at the end of Day Two of the second Test at Adelaide Oval on Saturday.

With Rishabh Pant and Nitish Kumar Reddy not out on 28 and 15 respectively, the pressure is now on this duo to rescue India from a precarious situation and evade a probable defeat. The groundwork for Australia’s commanding day was laid by middle-order batsman Travis Head, who struck a sensational 140 off 141 balls on his home turf, enabling the hosts to post 337 and secure a 152-run lead.

Head's innings was a remarkable display of aggression, combining his characteristic fluid cuts and pulls with exquisite drives, amassing 17 fours and four sixes to position Australia firmly in command to level the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series with his third century in day-night Tests.

After reaching his fifty in 63 balls, Head accelerated to his eighth Test hundred in just 48 additional deliveries, thrilling a crowd of 51,642 at his home venue. He received solid backing from Marnus Labuschagne, who emerged from a slump in form to contribute a confident 64, while opener Nathan McSweeney also played well, scoring 39.

India’s second innings commenced with Jaiswal and Rahul each hitting a four off Mitchell Starc. However, captain Pat Cummins made an impact, getting a short ball to angle back into Rahul, who was cramped for room. Attempting to hook the delivery late, Rahul could only glove it behind to Carey, departing for seven.

Jaiswal managed three boundaries with drives and slashes before edging a delivery from Scott Boland that came from over the wicket to Carey. Boland then tested Virat Kohli persistently in the channel outside off stump, ultimately enticing him to edge one to Carey.

However, Pant responded aggressively, charging down the pitch to smash Boland over mid-off and executing an audacious reverse lap sweep that sailed over the slips for another boundary.

Despite being challenged by Boland, Pant found his rhythm—crushing a boundary through extra cover and delivering a powerful hook shot that reached the fine leg fence.

On the flip side, India continued to struggle, as Starc bowled a perfect full inswinger to shatter Shubman Gill’s middle stump. Rohit Sharma, previously saved by a no-ball from Starc, fell victim to a length ball from Cummins that straightened after pitching, resulting in his top off stump being toppled.

Reddy faced a challenging test from Starc, edging a delivery for four and narrowly escaping an lbw appeal from Cummins, who lost a review in the process. Nevertheless, he displayed a magnificent cover drive off Cummins, and after Pant sliced Boland for a boundary, Reddy concluded an eventful day two with an inner edge off a powerful strike for four.

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 all out in 87.3 overs (Travis Head 140, Marnus Labuschagne 64; Jasprit Bumrah 4-61, Mohammed Siraj 4-98) by 29 runs