Second Test: Mitchell Starc Claims 6-48 as Australia Dismisses India for 180

Adelaide, Dec 6 (NationPress) Mitchell Starc, the left-arm pace sensation, showcased his skills by taking 6 wickets for 48 runs, achieving his 15th five-wicket haul in Test cricket, as Australia bowled out India for a mere 180 runs in just 44.1 overs during the dinner session on the opening day of the second Test at the Adelaide Oval on Friday.

With overcast skies overhead, Starc made a sensational start by trapping Yashasvi Jaiswal lbw with the very first ball of the match, setting the tone for an exhilarating day-night Test. Following this, India appeared to stabilize their innings, thanks to a 69-run partnership between KL Rahul and Shubman Gill.

However, Starc quickly turned the tide by dismissing both Rahul and Virat Kohli, while Scott Boland sent Gill back to the pavilion, causing India's score to plummet from 69/1 to 81/4 in the first session. After the tea break, Starc unleashed his inswinging yorkers, cutting through India's lower order and dismissing Nitish Kumar Reddy, who was India's top scorer with 42 runs, thereby securing his best-ever figures in Tests and marking an outstanding phase for Australia.

During the first session, India won the toss and opted to bat first, with Australia donning black armbands to honor Phil Hughes and Ian Redpath. Starc's exceptional opening delivery swung back in beautifully to trap Jaiswal lbw for a golden duck.

Gill, returning from a thumb injury that kept him out of the Perth Test, quickly got into the action with his elegant strokes, scoring four boundaries off Starc. Rahul exhibited patience outside off-stump and seemed solid until he edged Boland's first delivery, leading everyone to believe he was caught behind for an 18-ball duck.

However, replays revealed that Rahul was fortunate to get a reprieve, as Boland had overstepped, and snicko confirmed that there was no edge. Just five balls later, Rahul received another lifeline when Usman Khawaja dropped a catch at slip.

Seizing the moment, Rahul and Gill capitalized on Australia's errors, stitching together a 69-run

He first had Rahul caught at gully from a back-of-the-length delivery, then forced Kohli into a lapse in judgment, leading to his dismissal in the slips. Boland, participating in his first Test after 18 months, trapped Gill lbw for 31 runs, ensuring Australia finished the session on a high note by claiming the last three Indian wickets for just 12 runs in 16 balls.

After the tea interval, Boland struck again, delivering a fuller ball that trapped Rohit Sharma lbw, catching him in the crease. India could have been in deeper trouble had Nathan McSweeney held onto a catch offered by Rishabh Pant when he had only five runs.

Pant would add 16 more runs before a rising delivery from Pat Cummins took an edge off his shoulder and was caught at gully. Ravichandran Ashwin struck some impressive boundaries off Marsh and Cummins, but Starc effectively trapped him lbw with a superb inswinging yorker and bowled Harshit Rana with another inswinger.

While wickets were tumbling at one end, Reddy mounted a remarkable counterattack. After driving Cummins for four, he smashed Boland through mid-off for another boundary.

Following a six lofted over deep extra cover off Starc, Reddy unleashed a thrilling assault on Boland, reverse-scooping, flicking, and pulling him for two sixes and a four. However, Australia continued to chip away, with Cummins getting Jasprit Bumrah to edge to first slip, before Starc concluded the innings by having Reddy caught at mid-off.

Brief Scores: India 180 in 44.1 overs (Nitish Kumar Reddy 42, KL Rahul 37; Mitchell Starc 6-48, Pat Cummins 2-41) against Australia.