Head brilliance puts Australia in command as India falter
Travis Head delivered a scintillating 140 to power Australia into a dominant position against India in the day-night second Test in Adelaide. By stumps on day two, India were reeling at 128-5, trailing by 29 runs, as Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Scott Boland wreaked havoc under the lights.
Rishabh Pant (28*) and debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy (15*) offered some resistance after a devastating top-order collapse left India tottering. The hosts, seeking their eighth consecutive pink-ball Test win in Adelaide, are poised to level the five-Test series after their crushing 295-run defeat in Perth.
Earlier, Australia were bowled out for 337, with Head entertaining his home crowd in a blistering knock that featured 17 boundaries and four sixes. Supported by Marnus Labuschagne’s patient 64, Head ensured the hosts capitalized on their 157-run first-innings lead.
“We’ve played really well over the last two days,” Head said. “It’s nice to contribute personally and put us in a strong position.”
India’s reply was fraught with difficulty as Cummins removed KL Rahul (0) early with a sharp short ball. Scott Boland struck twice, dismissing Yashasvi Jaiswal (24) and Virat Kohli (11) with sharp movement off the seam. Starc and Cummins then cleaned up Shubman Gill (28) and Rohit Sharma (6), respectively.
India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel praised Head’s resilience, saying, “Credit to him. He absorbed the pressure and then put it back on us.”
With India’s hopes fading, Australia look set to capitalize on their commanding position on day three.
(Source: AFP)
