The Border-Gavaskar Trophy is level at 1-1 after Australia cruised towards a thumping ten-wicket victory over India at Adelaide Oval.
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The hosts dominated the pink-ball contest from day one, with Mitchell Starc rattling the Indian batters in the first innings before a stunning century from hometown hero Travis Head on Saturday.
The third Test between Australia and India gets underway at the Gabba on Saturday.
‘Timing is everything for Aussies!’ | 01:16
USMAN KHAWAJA — 3
13 and 9*
Khawaja is under mounting pressure to unearth some runs as his lean trot with the bat continues.
The Queenslander dropped a catch at first slip on day one before falling victim to Indian quick Jasprit Bumrah in the evening session, edging behind in the 11th over.
He hit the winning runs on Sunday afternoon, but his batting average for Tests this year has dropped to 25.66.
NATHAN MCSWEENEY — 7
39 and 10*
It was a breakout performance from McSweeney in the South Australian capital this week, proving his value as a Test opener with a gritty knock in the first innings.
After being handed an early life, the right-hander survived a dangerous evening session to put Australia in a commanding position at stumps on day one.
McSweeney couldn’t covert his promising start into a maiden Test fifty, while he also dropped a tough chance at gully on Friday.
‘The toughest overs in Test cricket’ | 08:21
MARNUS LABSCHAGNE — 8
64
Following a worrying string of low scores in the Test arena, Labuschagne silenced his doubters with a crucial half-century at Adelaide Oval this week.
Having survived a tricky passage of play under lights on Friday, the Queenslander laid the foundation for Australia’s middle order by taking the shine off the pink Kookaburra.
It was an important knock in the context of the match and his career.
STEVE SMITH — 3
2
It was another quiet Test match for the Australian vice-captain, who has now gone 23 innings without a century.
Smith’s lone dismissal at Adelaide Oval could have been considered unlucky, ticking a wayward delivery from Indian quick Jaspit Bumrah down the leg side, but the New South Welshman was superb in the slips cordon throughout the contest.
He averages 23.20 with the bat in Tests this year.
Smith out early in ‘horrible’ fashion | 00:51
TRAVIS HEAD — 10
140
In front of friends and family at his home ground, player-of-the-match Head blasted a swashbuckling century on Saturday afternoon to take the game away from India.
It was the left-hander’s third Test hundred at Adelaide Oval, becoming the first South Australian to achieve the feat.
Head continues to thwart India on the big stage.
Every Boundary! – Head’s HEROIC knock! | 06:47
MITCHELL MARSH — 2
9
0-26
Marsh produced four expensive overs on day one before giving his wicket away the following afternoon in bizarre circumstances.
The West Australian neglected to review a caught-behind chance while facing Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin despite replays suggesting he missed the ball.
He now averages 24.72 with the bat in Tests this year.
Marsh mistakenly walks in bizarre scenes | 01:12
ALEX CAREY — 4
15
Four catches
Carey combined with centurion Travis Head for a 74-run partnership on Saturday afternoon before falling victim to Indian quick Mohammed Siraj, edging behind.
His glovework was tidy, apart from a sloppy dropped catch to hand Siraj an early reprieve on Sunday afternoon, but it was otherwise an uneventful Test for the South Australian.
PAT CUMMINS — 9
2-41 and 5-57
After copping some criticism for his performance during the series opener in Perth, the Australian captain emphatically bounced back at Adelaide Oval this week.
Cummins produced a couple of searing bouncers to remove Rishabh Pant on Friday and KL Rahul on Saturday, while his dismissal of rival captain Rohit Sharma in the second innings was an absolute seed.
The New South Welshman now boasts 13 five-wicket hauls in Tests.
Starc dismisses Jaiswal with FIRST BALL! | 01:12
MITCHELL STARC — 9
6-48 and 2-60
Mitchell Starc and the pink ball is a better love story than Twilight.
The left-armed quick claimed career-best figures in the first innings after removing opener Yashasvi Jaiswal with the opening delivery of the match, the third time he had managed the rare feat in Tests.
Meanwhile, his dismissals of Ravichandran Ashwin on Friday and Shubman Gill on Saturday were vintage Starc, hooping inswinging yorker that ignited the Adelaide crowd.
The only thing that prevented him from receiving a perfect ten was his wayward opening spell in the second innings, wasting the new ball by repeatedly spraying the Kookaburra down the leg side.
Starc’s CAREER BEST bowling innings | 02:57
NATHAN LYON — 5
0-6
The GOAT was hardly required in Adelaide this week.
Lyon only bowled one over in the day-night Test, with Australia’s quicks getting the job done without his assistance.
The off-spinner’s most influential moment of the match came when he requested for lights at the venue’s nets to be switched on, inadvertently causing the floodlights saga on Friday evening.
SCOTT BOLAND — 8
2-54 and 3-51
Playing his first Test match in nearly 18 months, Boland was at the peak of his powers with the pink Kookaburra at Adelaide Oval.
The Victorian seamer continues creating breakthroughs during his first over of an innings, while his spell to Indian superstar Virat Kohli on Saturday evening was a masterclass.
He’s relentlessly metronomic, the perfect substitute for Josh Hazlewood.
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