Mitchell Starc’s brilliant performance with the pink ball saw him claim a career-best six-wicket haul, putting Australia firmly in control on the opening day of the second Test against India in Adelaide on Friday. The seasoned pacer exploited the challenging conditions to reduce India to 180 all out by the time dinner was called.
India, opting to bat, started solidly at 69 for one but lost their way after that, with Starc leading the Australian charge. Nitish Reddy was the lone bright spot for India, scoring a valiant 42 off 54 balls, and contributing crucial runs alongside the lower order to take the total past 150.
Australia’s response saw them reach 86 for one by stumps, with Marnus Labuschagne (20 off 67) and Nathan McSweeney (38 off 97) ensuring a steady start. The conditions remained tough for batting, but there were runs to be had, and Australia will be confident of surpassing India’s total on Day 2, with easier batting conditions expected during daylight.
Labuschagne, under pressure to retain his place, took 19 balls to get off the mark but began to find his rhythm. McSweeney, dropped early by Rishabh Pant, made the most of his opportunity to frustrate India. The birthday boy, Jasprit Bumrah, was the standout bowler for India, claiming the only Australian wicket to fall, having Usman Khawaja caught at first slip with a beauty.
In the second session, Starc wreaked havoc, claiming his first-ever five-wicket haul against India. Australia had reduced India to 82 for four by tea and wrapped up the remaining six wickets for 98 runs just before the dinner break. Starc’s inswingers took the key wickets of R. Ashwin and Harshit Rana, while Pat Cummins’ short-ball tactics also proved effective.
India’s batting collapse began early, with Rohit Sharma (3 off 23), playing in the middle order for the first time in six years, trapped lbw by Scott Boland. Pant (21 off 35) played aggressively but was undone by a sharp bouncer from Cummins. Reddy, who impressed on debut in Perth, fought valiantly, adding vital runs with Ashwin (22 off 22) before India’s innings faltered further.
Starc’s early breakthroughs in the first session were crucial, dismissing K.L. Rahul (37 off 64) and Virat Kohli (7 off 8) in quick succession to put India on the back foot. Rahul and Shubman Gill (31 off 51) had built a solid 69-run partnership, but the momentum shifted when Boland sent Gill back with a full delivery. India’s tail then collapsed dramatically, losing their last three wickets for just 12 runs.
India had started confidently on a pitch with decent grass cover, but the early dismissal of Yashasvi Jaiswal, who fell for a duck after missing a fuller delivery from Starc, set the tone. Gill, returning to the side after a thumb injury, looked composed and played some elegant drives, while Rahul showed aggression after a slow start. However, Starc’s brilliance turned the tide, and India could never recover from the mid-session collapse.
As the day came to a close, Australia had the upper hand, with India’s bowlers facing an uphill task on Day 2. Starc’s exceptional performance and Australia’s tight control leave them in a strong position to push forward in the match.
