In a thrilling turn of events at the Adelaide Oval, Australia clinched a commanding 10-wicket victory against India on the third day of the second Test, leveling the series at 1-1.
Pat Cummins played a pivotal role in Australia’s victory, delivering a remarkable performance with the ball. He claimed five wickets for 57 runs, dismantling India’s batting lineup. His efforts were complemented by Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc, who took crucial wickets to restrict India to 175 in their second innings.
India started the day at 128-5, trailing Australia by 29 runs. Despite Nitish Kumar Reddy’s fighting 42, the Indian team failed to capitalize on their overnight position. The loss of Rishabh Pant early on, caught at slip off Starc’s delivery, severely dented India’s prospects of staging a comeback.
Australia’s captain, Pat Cummins, adopted an aggressive short-ball strategy, proving effective against India’s lower order. Ravichandran Ashwin and Harshit Rana both fell to Cummins’ tactics while Reddy, India’s top scorer, was undone trying to hit another bouncer out of the park.
Australia, needing just 19 runs for victory, saw openers Nathan McSweeney and Usman Khawaja confidently chase down the target in 3.2 overs. Their decisive and steady approach sealed the win, further emboldening Australia’s position in the series.
This victory was crucial for Australia as they aim to secure a spot in the World Test Championship final. The team’s resilience was praised by their captain, while India’s skipper, Rohit Sharma, acknowledged their need to seize missed opportunities.
The Adelaide Test was also a testament to individual brilliance, particularly from Travis Head, whose 140-run innings in Australia’s first innings set a formidable tone. Head’s performance was crucial in building a lead that put pressure on India.
Former Australia bowler, Glenn McGrath, recognized the importance of this win for the team, highlighting the players’ strong response after their earlier performance in Perth. He noted that the team addressed several concerns, particularly praising the likes of Marnus Labuschagne for his composure.
With the series now evenly poised, both teams are gearing up for the third Test in Brisbane starting December 14th. As the competition intensifies, Australia and India will look to refine their strategies to gain an edge in this closely contested series.
Source: Bbc
