Adelaide, Dec 7: India found themselves at 128 for 5 in their second innings, still trailing Australia by 29 runs at the end of day two of the pink ball Test on Saturday.
Australia’s pace trio of Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, and Pat Cummins dismantled the Indian top order, putting the hosts in a strong position after Travis Head (140) and Marnus Labuschagne (64) contributed to a substantial first-innings lead of 157 runs.
The Indian batsmen struggled to cope as the Australian bowlers excelled with the pink ball under the lights.
The hosts had already taken out half the Indian lineup by the 21st over.
Head resumed the innings at 86/1, delivering a remarkable century, while Labuschagne made a solid return with a gritty fifty.
The exceptional Jasprit Bumrah (4/61) and Mohammed Siraj (4/98) accounted for eight wickets altogether.
Local favorite Head, who was let off twice, capitalized on his chances to score a brisk 140 in front of his home crowd, striking 17 fours and four sixes in his 141-ball innings.
Mohammed Siraj finally ended Head’s impressive inning.
Brief scores: India: 180 & 128 for 5 in 24 overs (Rishabh Pant 28 not out, Shubman Gill 28; Pat Cummins 2/33, Scott Boland 2/39) Australia: 337 all out in 87.3 overs (Travis Head 140, Marnus Labuschagne 64; Jasprit Bumrah 4/61, Mohammed Siraj 4/98). (PTI)
