Travis Head once again emerged as a significant challenge for India, scoring an impressive 140 runs off 141 balls, which decisively shifted the momentum in favor of Australia. By the time Mohammad Siraj dismissed him with the second new ball, Head had sufficiently undermined India’s confidence and helped Australia gather a first innings lead of 157 runs. To further wrest control, their pacers bagged five wickets under the lights as India slipped up ending the day trailing by 29.
Travis Head's carnage against India in the first innings
As Pat Cummins, Scott Boland, and Mitchell Starc skillfully maneuvered the pink ball, dismantling India’s top order for the second occasion in the match, they emphasized Australia’s commanding performance, which had been spearheaded by Head throughout the day. By the moment Mohammad Siraj dismissed Head with the second new ball, the left-handed batsman had significantly undermined India’s confidence.
In the second session, Head accelerated his innings against a weary bowling attack using an older ball. The opportunity to capitalize on the situation was evident, and Head seized it with flair, striking Harshit Rana through the offside before reaching his century off just 111 deliveries—the fastest ever in a day-night Test—thereby significantly enhancing Australia’s lead. Even when faced with the second new ball, India’s primary weapon, he began by elegantly whipping and clipping deliveries from Bumrah and Siraj, who strayed off their lines, allowing for vital boundaries.
During this phase, India experienced a moment of concern when Bumrah appeared to be in discomfort, clutching his groin, but he returned to bowl shortly thereafter. Ultimately, Siraj managed to claim Head’s wicket with a yorker, which was followed by a brief exchange of words between the two. This marked the conclusion of a challenging phase for India, during which they struggled to secure each wicket. R Ashwin, who had been their most effective bowler during this time, despite conceding a few sixes to Head, managed to dismiss Mitchell Marsh caught behind. Additionally, Head was dropped on 76 by Siraj.
But it was amid Head stepping it up in the company of Alex Carey (15) where they put on 74 off just 80 balls before the latter was out caught behind. The lead swelled past 150 before Siraj wrapped up the tail early into the third session leaving India with the toughest conditions to bat in a day-night Test and a trail of 157 runs.
India's underwhelming chase reaches midway
KL Rahul was the first to be dismissed, caught off guard by a short delivery from Cummins, which he pulled directly to the wicketkeeper. Yashasvi Jaiswal began his innings with assurance but was soon dismissed, edging the very first ball from Boland to the keeper. Shortly thereafter, Boland also claimed the wicket of Virat Kohli. Starc compounded the team’s difficulties by delivering a sharply incoming ball that knocked over Gill’s middle stump.
Rohit Sharma endured a challenging period at the crease, initially being struck on the helmet by the first delivery and narrowly escaping an LBW decision due to Starc’s overstepping. Despite his resilience alongside Rishabh Pant’s aggressive batting, Cummins managed to deliver a ball that slipped through his defenses, ultimately striking the top of the off-stump.
At a score of 105 for the loss of 5 wickets, Australia demonstrated a commanding presence in the match, safeguarding the efforts exerted during a challenging first session. Subsequently, Marnus Labuschagne overcame a period of lackluster performance to secure a half-century on a pitch where he boasts an impressive average exceeding 70. His partnership of 65 runs with Travis Head for the fourth wicket effectively countered the two early dismissals inflicted by Burmah. India ended the day with a score of 128/5 with Rishabh Pant and Nitish Reddy batting and a trail of 29 runs.
SCORECARD: India 180 (Nitish Reddy 42; Mitchell Starc 6-48) & 128/5 (Rishabh Pant 28*; Pat Cummins 2-33) trail Australia 337 (Travis Head 140, Marnus Labuschagne 64; Jasprit Bumrah 4-59, Mohammad Siraj 4-98) by 29 runs
