The second day of the second Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) Test between India and Australia at the Adelaide Oval saw Travis Head dominate with an outstanding century, putting his team in a commanding position.
Despite a strong effort from India's bowlers, the day ended with India trailing by 29 runs, sitting at 128 for five in their second innings.
Australia started the day on a strong note but quickly found themselves in trouble as Jasprit Bumrah struck early, removing Steve Smith for just two. Head and Marnus Labuschagne, however, stabilised the innings with a crucial 65-run partnership for the fourth wicket.
India’s all-rounder, Nitish Reddy, had Labuschagne caught out on 64, and shortly after, Mitchell Marsh departed for just nine. A review for a potential bat-ball contact raised a stir among Indian fans, but the decision was ruled in favour of the bowlers, leaving Australia at 137 for five.
Travis Head then took centre stage, showing remarkable composure as he dispatched Indian pacers, particularly Harshit Rana and Mohammed Siraj, to all parts of the ground.
He was aggressive yet calculated, even managing to launch Ashwin over the ropes for a couple of sixes. Head's 100 at his home ground was a monumental achievement, one that gave Australia the upper hand despite Alex Carey’s early dismissal.
His departure came after being bowled out by a brilliant yorker from Siraj, with the two exchanging some fiery words during the brief exchange.
With Australia dismissed for 337, the Indian bowlers completed the job, but not before causing a few anxious moments. When India started their second innings, they quickly found themselves in trouble.
Cummins got the breakthrough early, dismissing KL Rahul for a mere seven runs, caught behind. The opening stand between Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal was promising, with the two adding 30 runs, but Scott Boland sent Jaiswal packing off his first ball, leaving India struggling at 30 for two.
India’s top order continued to falter as Virat Kohli, despite a few positive strokes, was dismissed by Boland with a peach of a delivery. Shubman Gill soon followed, dismissed by Mitchell Starc with another unplayable ball, leaving India reeling.
The pressure mounted further when Rohit Sharma, batting at number six, was dismissed cheaply. After surviving a no-ball call, Rohit failed to capitalise on his second chance and was clean bowled by a beauty from Cummins, leaving India at a precarious 58 for four.
Despite the mounting pressure, Rishabh Pant showed signs of aggression, playing some audacious shots. His quick runs helped ease the tension momentarily, and alongside Reddy, he managed to stem the fall of wickets, though the Indian batting line-up remained fragile.
The day ended with India still behind, and the pressure was very much on the remaining batters to stay firm if India hopes to fight back in this Test. With both teams trading blows and the match finely poised, the third day promises to be crucial in determining the direction of the game.
Australia’s bowlers, led by Pat Cummins and Scott Boland, have once again shown their mettle, with both taking key wickets. The Indian batters, on the other hand, will need to regroup and rebuild if they are to stay competitive in this high-stakes encounter.
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