Mitchell Starc was at his absolute best as he led Australia’s charge against India in the first innings of the second Test at Adelaide Oval on Friday, claiming his 15th five-wicket haul.
The Australian pacer, who was already in fine form, dismantled the Indian batting order with precision, making crucial breakthroughs throughout the day. After taking three wickets in the first session, Starc added two more in the second to complete his fifer, which also marked his first-ever five-wicket haul against India.
Starc wasted no time in making an impact, taking a wicket off the very first delivery of the match. The fast bowler, who had been engaged in a playful sledge battle with Yashasvi Jaiswal in Perth, responded in style to the southpaw`s comment about him being `too slow`. Starc trapped Jaiswal LBW for a golden duck, setting the tone for a dominant spell of bowling.
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With India in early trouble, Starc struck again soon after, removing KL Rahul to pile more misery on the visitors. India’s batting woes continued when Starc found Virat Kohli’s edge, a short-pitched delivery outside off stump tempting Kohli into an indiscriminate shot that was caught by Steve Smith at slips. By this point, the Australian pacer had already made his mark, but his day was far from over.
After the lunch break, Starc returned to complete his five-wicket haul remarkably. He dismissed Ravichandran Ashwin, ending the Indian all-rounder’s defiant knock and securing a much-needed breakthrough for his team. The final nail in India’s coffin came when Starc cleaned up Harshit Rana with an inswinging yorker after having bowled a short-pitched delivery earlier in the over. Rana was beaten for pace as the ball missed the bat and shattered the stumps, completing Starc’s memorable five-wicket haul.
The inswinging peach of a yorker gets Mitchell Starc his fifth wicket!#AUSvIND | #DeliveredWithSpeed | @NBN_Australia pic.twitter.com/SwVIHFiNhK
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 6, 2024
India`s decision to bat first after winning the toss quickly turned into a nightmare. Despite some early resistance from KL Rahul, who survived a couple of close calls from Scott Boland, and Shubman Gill, the Australian bowlers soon took control. Starc’s brilliance, combined with the steady pressure from Boland and captain Pat Cummins, meant that India’s top order was reduced to shambles. Rishabh Pant and Rohit Sharma, who had been expected to anchor the innings, failed to make a significant impact, further compounding India’s troubles.
By the time the dinner break arrived on Day 1, India had lost eight wickets, with Scott Boland and Cummins also making valuable contributions. The Indian batting lineup, once seen as formidable, found itself under siege from the Australian pacers, who exploited the conditions with great skill. With the pink ball swinging and seaming under lights, the Australian fast bowlers made it difficult for the Indian batsmen to settle.
