Mitchell Starc Shines with 6-48 as Australia Bowl Out India for 180 on Day One at Adelaide Oval
Left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc produced a scintillating performance with the ball, claiming 6 wickets for 48 runs, as Australia bowled out India for just 180 in 44.1 overs on Day 1 of the second Test at the Adelaide Oval. Starc’s remarkable figures included his 15th five-wicket haul in Tests, and it was his inswinging yorkers and key strikes that helped Australia dominate the day.
The day-night Test began with a thrilling start, as Starc trapped Yashasvi Jaiswal lbw with the very first delivery of the game, sending India on the back foot early. Following the initial breakthrough, India appeared to stabilize their innings, courtesy of a solid 69-run partnership between KL Rahul and Shubman Gill. However, Starc turned the tide by claiming two quick wickets in the first session, removing Rahul and then Virat Kohli, followed by Scott Boland trapping Gill lbw. By the end of the first session, India had slipped from 69/1 to 81/4.
In the post-tea session, Starc’s inswinging yorkers decimated India’s lower order. He took out Nitish Kumar Reddy, who had been India’s top scorer with 42 runs, and secured career-best figures in the process. His spell marked a defining phase in the match, as Australia capitalized on India’s collapse.
India won the toss and elected to bat first, with both teams wearing black armbands in honor of the late Phil Hughes and Ian Redpath. Starc’s early strike to dismiss Jaiswal for a golden duck set the tone for the day. Gill, returning from injury, looked solid with some elegant drives and late cuts, while Rahul showed patience before being dismissed by Starc. Rahul, initially fortunate to survive two reprieves due to no-ball calls and a dropped catch by Usman Khawaja, was eventually dismissed in a dramatic turnaround.
In the post-tea session, Australia continued their momentum. Boland, playing his first Test after 18 months, removed Rohit Sharma for a duck, while Rishabh Pant fell to Pat Cummins. Ravichandran Ashwin showed glimpses of brilliance with a few boundaries, but Starc removed him lbw with a superb inswinging yorker. Harshit Rana was soon bowled out by Starc, leaving India in disarray.
Nitish Kumar Reddy provided some resistance with a counter-attacking knock, smashing boundaries and sixes, but his efforts were in vain as Starc dismissed him to wrap up the innings. Australia’s bowling attack, spearheaded by Starc, was relentless, and they ended the day with India at a precarious 180 all out.
Brief Scores:
India 180 all out in 44.1 overs (Nitish Kumar Reddy 42, KL Rahul 37; Mitchell Starc 6-48, Pat Cummins 2-41)
Australia vs India, Adelaide Oval
