2nd Test: Bowlers put Australia in total control after scything through Indian top-order

Adelaide, Dec 7 (IANS) Australia's fast bowlers scythed through India's top order in the third session to leave the visitors at 128/5 in 24 overs to be 29 runs behind the hosts at stumps on Day Two of the second Test at Adelaide Oval here on Saturday.  

With Rishabh Pant and Nitish Kumar Reddy unbeaten on 28 and 15 respectively, the onus will be on the duo to pull India out of trouble and save them from a likely defeat. The foundation for Australia’s dominating day was laid by middle-order batter Travis Head smashing a blistering 140 off 141 balls on his home ground, as the hosts made 337 to take a 152-run lead.

It was a tremendous attacking innings from Head, who mixed his usual free-flowing cuts and pulls with some sumptuous drives while hitting 17 fours and four sixes to put Australia firmly in the box seat to square the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series via his third hundred in day-night Tests.

After getting his fifty in 63 balls, Head took only 48 more balls to reach his eighth Test hundred in front of 51,642 fans at his home ground. He was well-supported by Marnus Labuschagne coming out of the poor run of form to hit an assured 64, while opener Nathan McSweeney gave a good account of himself through his knock of 39.

India’s second innings began with Jaiswal and Rahul taking a four each off Mitchell Starc. But captain Pat Cummins struck by getting a short ball to nip back into Rahul, and cramp him for room. By then, Rahul looked to hook the ball away late, and could just glove it behind to Carey and fall for seven.

Jaiswal got three boundaries off drive and slashes, before edging off a fourth stump delivery coming from over the wicket to Carey off Scott Boland. Boland then proceeded to test Virat Kohli relentlessly in the channel outside the off stump and finally managed to get the batter to lunge forward and take the outside edge to Carey.

But Pant came out all guns blazing - charging down the ground to thump Boland over mid-off, before bringing out an outrageous reverse lap sweep going over the slips for another boundary.

Despite being beaten by Boland, Pant took a liking to his pace – slamming him through extra cover for a boundary, before unfurling the falling hook shot going to fine leg fence for another four.

But from the other end, India continued to be in trouble - Starc got a beautiful full inswinger right to knock down Shubman Gill’s middle stump, while Rohit Sharma, who survived previously due to a no-ball from Starc, played all around Cummins’ length ball on off-stump straightening after pitching and could only see his top of off stump being rattled.

Reddy faced an early stern examination from Starc, including edging off him for four and even survived an lbw appeal off Cummins, as Australia burnt their review. But he unfurled a gorgeous cover drive off Cummins, and after Pant sliced Boland for a boundary, Reddy ended an eventful day two with the inner edge off a smash going 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

--IANS

nr/bsk/