AUS vs IND, Adelaide Test Day 1: Starc dominates, Reddy fights as Australia seize advantage in pink-ball clash

Veteran pacer Mitchell Starc showcased his mastery with the pink ball, delivering a career-best six-wicket haul to put Australia firmly in control on the opening day of the day-night Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Adelaide on Friday.

Sunita Iyer

First Published Dec 6, 2024, 7:10 PM IST | Last Updated Dec 6, 2024, 7:10 PM IST

After opting to bat, India seemed steady at 69 for one but collapsed dramatically, folding for 180 just before the dinner break.

Nitish Reddy (42 off 54) stood out as the lone warrior, rescuing his side from an even worse fate by adding crucial runs with the lower order and pushing the total past 150.

Australia ended the day strongly at 86 for one, with Marnus Labuschagne (20* off 67) and Nathan McSweeney (38* off 97) anchoring the innings. The pair made the most of the challenging conditions, which continued to test the batters throughout the day but offered ample scoring opportunities for those who applied themselves.

With easier batting conditions expected during daylight, the hosts will back themselves to surpass India’s total when play resumes on day two.

Marnus Labuschagne, under pressure to retain his place in the side, once again took his time to settle at the crease, needing 19 balls to get off the mark. However, he soon found his rhythm and began accumulating runs. Nathan McSweeney, meanwhile, survived an early scare when Rishabh Pant dropped him behind the stumps. Capitalizing on the reprieve, McSweeney went on to frustrate the Indian bowlers.

On his birthday, Jasprit Bumrah delivered another standout performance as India’s best bowler. He claimed the sole Australian wicket of the day, dismissing Usman Khawaja with a brilliant delivery that found the edge, safely pouched at first slip. However, Bumrah will need greater support from his fellow pacers when play resumes on Saturday.

Earlier, Mitchell Starc put on a masterclass with the pink ball in the second session, ripping through the Indian batting lineup to claim his first-ever five-wicket haul against them. By tea, Australia had reduced the visitors to 82 for four. The remaining six Indian wickets fell for 98 runs in the final session, with the innings wrapping up just before the dinner break.

Mitchell Starc was at his lethal best, using his signature inswingers to dismiss R Ashwin and Harshit Rana, while Pat Cummins effectively deployed the short ball to trouble the Indian batters.

Rohit Sharma (3 off 23), returning to the middle order after six years, fell to Scott Boland, trapped lbw by a length ball that nipped back sharply. Rishabh Pant (21 off 35) showed glimpses of his trademark aggression but perished to a well-directed bouncer from Cummins.

Nitish Reddy, continuing his impressive form after a strong debut in Perth, added crucial runs alongside Ashwin (22 off 22), who replaced Washington Sundar in the XI. With wickets tumbling around him, Reddy decided to counterattack. His audacious stroke play included a stunning six over extra cover off Starc and a reverse scoop for six off Boland over the slip cordon. He followed it up with another pulled six off Boland, lifting India’s total past 150.

Earlier, in the opening session, Starc struck key blows to derail India’s promising start. After a solid 69-run partnership between K L Rahul (37 off 64) and Shubman Gill (31 off 51), Starc removed Rahul and Virat Kohli (7 off 8) in quick succession, turning the momentum firmly in Australia's favor.

Boland compounded India’s woes by trapping Gill lbw with a full, straight delivery. The Indian innings unraveled dramatically, with the last three wickets falling for just 12 runs, leaving the visitors bowled out for 180 by the dinner break.

The day began with high drama as India opted to bat on a pitch offering decent grass cover.

Yashasvi Jaiswal, who had shone in his debut Test in Perth, fell first ball, trapped lbw by a full delivery from Mitchell Starc that swung back just enough to beat his defense.

Shubman Gill, returning to the side after recovering from a thumb injury, displayed confidence at the crease, while K L Rahul shifted gears after a slow start, taking 21 balls to get off the mark.

Gill's fluent stroke play included four exquisite boundaries off Starc, highlighted by a sublime off-drive and a perfectly timed cover drive. At the other end, Rahul had a lucky escape when he edged a Scott Boland delivery to the keeper, only to be recalled after replays confirmed a no-ball on the first delivery of Boland's spell.

India looked set for a productive opening session, but Starc struck twice in quick succession, removing Rahul and Virat Kohli with back-to-back deliveries that climbed sharply off a short length, inducing edges to the slip cordon.

The final blow of the session came when Gill, batting on 31, missed an attempted flick off Boland and was trapped lbw, leaving India at 82 for four by tea.

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