BGT 2024-25: Head, Cummins, Starc shine as Australia flatten India by 10 wickets to continue pink-ball Test domination

Adelaide [Australia], December 8 (ANI): A counter-attacking century from Travis Head and magnificent bowling spells from Mitchell Starc and skipper Pat Cummins proved to be the highlights as Australia continued their pink-ball cricket domination, flattening India by 10 wickets during the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series at Adelaide Oval on Sunday.
With this win, Australia has bounced back big time from 295-run loss at Perth and levelled the five-match series 1-1. Also, they have kept their unbeaten run in pink ball Tests at Adelaide Oval alive, registering their eighth win in eight matches. This has put a dent on India's ICC World Test Championship chances.
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, India struggled against the shine and lacquer of the pink-ball and the ultimate mastermind of pink-ball Tests, pacer Mitchell Starc. Yashasvi Jaiswal, who had seen the highs of 161 at the Perth's Optus Stadium during which he hit the veteran bowler in plenty, was humbled by the left-armer who trapped him leg-before-wicket for a golden duck.
KL Rahul (37 in 64 balls, with six fours) and Shubman Gill (31 in 51 balls, with five fours) saw off the new ball well with a 69-run second wicket partnership. However, KL's dismissal triggered a collapse, as Virat Kohli (7), Gill, skipper Rohit Sharma (3) and Rishabh Pant (21 in 35 balls, with two fours) fell quickly, reducing India to 109/6.
Ravichandran Ashwin (22 in 22 balls, with three fours) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (42 in 54 balls, with three fours and three sixes) tried to fight it out for India, but the visitors were skittled out for just 180 runs in 44.1 overs, feeling the wrath of Starc, who took 6/48. Skipper Pat Cummins and Scott Boland also got two scalps.
In the first innings, Australia lost Usman Khawaja early, but a 67-run stand between Nathan McSweeney (39 in 109 balls, with six fours) and Marnus Labuschagne brought Aussies back on track. Steve Smith lost his wicket for just two runs, but Labuschagne's return to form fifty (64 in 126 balls, with nine fours) helped him partner Travis Head well as he tried to settle.
Travis brilliant counter-attacked everything thrown at him by India and had a 74-run sixth wicket stand with Alex Carey (15), where he did the heavy-lifting. Travis continued his golden run against India, not getting dismissed till he did some irrepairable damage with 140 in 141 balls, with 17 fours and four sixes and with Aussies having crossed the 300-run mark. Australia was skittled out for 337 runs in 87.3 overs.
Jasprit Bumrah (4/61) and Mohammed Siraj (4/98) did take four wickets each, supported by one each from Ashwin and Nitish, but the lead of 157 runs proved to be massive.
In their second innings, the pace trio of Scott Boland, Cummins and Starc destroyed the Indian top order, not allowing them to settle despite some solid starts. Jaiswal (24 in 31 balls, with four boundaries), Gill (28 in 30 balls, with three fours) could not capitalise on their starts while KL Rahul (7) and Virat Kohli (11 in 21 balls with a four) failed to score well. India ended day two at 128/5.
On the third day, Pant also lost his wicket for 28 in 31 balls, with five fours. From there on, it was not looking back for Aussies, who skittled out India for 175 runs in 36.5 overs. India lead by just 18 runs, setting Aussies 19 runs to win.
Skipper Cummins (5/67) took a majestic five-wicket haul, his eighth as a captain. Boland took 3/51 while Starc took 2/60.
Set a target of 19 runs, Khawaja (10*) and McSweeney (9*) chased it down without breaking a sweat in 3.2 overs. (ANI)