• Australia registered a thumping 10-wicket win against India in the second Test at Adelaide.

  • Travis Head's blazing century and Mitchell Starc's lethal six-wicket haul dismantled India in the Pink-Ball game.

Netizens go wild as Travis Head and Mitchell Starc help Australia demolish India by 10 wickets in Pink Ball Test
Australia vs India (Image Source: X)

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Australia secured a thumping 10-wicket win against India in the second Test at Adelaide, leaving the visitors reeling. Travis Head‘s blazing century set the tone for Australia’s dominance, while Mitchell Starc‘s lethal six-wicket haul dismantled India’s batting lineup. The hosts chased down a meager target without breaking a sweat, showcasing their prowess under lights. This crushing defeat marks one of India’s most embarrassing outings in Test cricket, raising serious concerns about their performance. Australia’s all-round brilliance in the pink-ball Test further cemented their supremacy at home.

India’s struggles with the bat against Mitchell Starc

India’s first innings was marred by Mitchell Starc’s destructive bowling. Starc dismantled India’s top and middle order with a six-wicket haul, starting with Yashasvi Jaiswal‘s wicket on the very first ball. KL Rahul and Shubman Gill tried to build a platform with scores of 37 and 31, respectively, but their efforts were short-lived. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma couldn’t contribute much, falling for single-digit scores.

Nitish Kumar Reddy‘s counterattacking 42 and Ravichandran Ashwin‘s 22 brought some semblance of resistance. However, the tail crumbled as Starc and company wrapped up the innings for just 180 runs in 44.1 overs. Pat Cummins and Scott Boland provided strong support, picking up two wickets each to pile the pressure on the visitors.

Travis Head’s heroics anchor Australia’s innings

In response, Australia overcame an early scare to post a commanding 337 runs, largely due to a scintillating knock by Head. After losing Usman Khawaja and Nathan McSweeney in the first session, Marnus Labuschagne and Head steadied the innings. Labuschagne’s patient 64 provided the foundation, but it was Head’s aggressive 140 off 141 balls, featuring 17 boundaries and four sixes, that stole the show. The Indian bowlers, led by Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, claimed four wickets each but were unable to prevent Head from taking Australia to a strong lead of 157 runs. Contributions from Starc (18) and Cummins (12) in the lower order further frustrated the Indian attack.

Also WATCH: Scott Boland’s incredible delivery to dismiss Yashasvi Jaiswal on Day 2 of the Adelaide Test

India falters again in the second innings

Facing a steep deficit, India’s second innings started promisingly but unraveled quickly. Jaiswal and Rahul departed early, putting the team under pressure. Gill (28) and Rishabh Pant (28) played aggressive cameos, but neither could convert their starts into a substantial innings. Nitish Reddy once again showed grit, scoring a quickfire 42 with six boundaries and a six. However, India’s lower order collapsed under relentless pressure from Cummins and Boland, who shared seven wickets between them. The innings folded for 175 runs in just 36.5 overs, leaving Australia with a mere 19 runs to chase for victory.

Australia registers a remarkable 10-wicket win

Chasing a modest target of 19 runs, Australia needed only a few overs to registered comprehensive victory. Khawaja and McSweeney confidently guided the team to 19/0 at a brisk run rate of 5.68 before the session ended. With more than 70 overs remained, the hosts sealed a dominant win. The Indian bowlers failed to extract any early breakthroughs, underlining the challenges they faced throughout the match. Australia’s commanding performance in all departments has put them in a drive seat for the remaining games in the series.

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Also WATCH: Travis Head drops ‘F’ bomb after receiving a fiery send off from Mohammed Siraj on Day 2 of Pink Ball Test – AUS vs IND

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