Explore the highlights of Pat Cummins’ leadership as Australia secures a dominant 10-wicket win in the Adelaide Test. Read more about the match details.
Pat Cummins’ stellar five-wicket haul:
Pat Cummins’ match-winning five-wicket haul sealed the day for Australia in the pink-ball Test at Adelaide Oval, leveling the series in emphatic fashion. With India folding for 175 early on day three, Australia needed just 19 runs to seal the win, which Usman Khawaja and Nathan McSweeney achieved in four overs. The 295-run defeat in Perth seemed a distant memory as Australia bounced back with precision and intensity, leaving fans eagerly anticipating the rest of the series.
Day Three: Cummins Rattles India’s Lower Order
The last day started with India looking for some resilience from their overnight pair, Rishabh Pant and Nitish Kumar Reddy. But Mitchell Starc quickly shattered those hopes, delivering a beauty that Pant nicked behind for 28, his overnight score. From there on, it was the Pat Cummins show.
See also: Travis Head’s Dazzling 140 Puts Australia on Top in Pink-Ball Test
Cummins, who had his wobbly moments at the first Test, is back to his lethal form. Using the short ball to a deadly effect, he struck off Ravichandran Ashwin, Harshit Rana and Reddy in quick time. Ashwin gloved up a rising delivery to the hands of the keeper, whereas Rana fell to well-placed bouncer going into the gully catch.
Reddy, showing some fight, hooked a short ball over square leg for six but fell the very next delivery, ramping a wide ball straight to third man. His 42 off 47 balls once again highlighted his promise, marking the third time in four innings he top-scored for India. The Indian innings lasted only 81 overs across both innings, making this the shortest pink-ball Test between the two teams.
Travis Head: The crowd’s darling of Adelaide
The Adelaide Oval crowd of 33,184 erupted when Travis Head capped off Australia’s bowling effort with a spectacular tumbling catch to dismiss Mohammed Siraj. Siraj had become a target for jeers after his animated send-off to Head during the latter’s scintillating century on day two. Head’s performance, which earned him the Player of the Match award, was a testament to his growing stature as a hometown hero.
Though Head wasn’t needed with the bat in the second innings, his contribution on the field and his thrilling knock earlier in the Test ensured he remained the center of attention.
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Australia’s Perfect Response After Perth
The form of the team was highly debated after their drubbing in Perth, but Australia came back in almost flawless form at Adelaide-the victory underlining the adaptability of this team whose change in strategy and finally their execution proved different.
Cummins, who had looked a little out of sorts in Perth, really made crucial adjustments in Adelaide. Under natural light, he pulled his lengths back when the ball offered little swing or seam. This tactical adjustment really paid dividends, especially against India’s tail.
Mitchell Starc also did his part and struck early to set the tone for the day. The young sensation in the Australian ranks, Nathan McSweeney, finally put the lid on a slender run chase by hitting two classy boundaries that further made the crowd’s day.
Nitish Kumar Reddy: The Sparkling Light Amidst India’s Disintegration
For India, there was something of a bright spot-a rare one-in a dismal show. Playing in his first-ever Test series, Reddy’s counter-attacking 42 was the third top-score in four innings for him. A few glimpses of an ability to take on Cummins and Starc, at least briefly, suggest he might just have been the bright future that is yet to arrive.
However, India’s batting unit collectively failed. Neither the top order nor the middle order fired, and their inability to adapt to the pink ball under both natural and artificial light was glaring.
Adelaide Oval: A Fortress for Australia
The Adelaide Oval proved to be a fortress for Australia in pink-ball Tests once again. With this win, Australia’s record in day-night Tests remains formidable. The home crowd, vocally behind their team, played its part in lifting the players’ spirits, especially after the Perth setback.
Travis Head had won many hearts in this Adelaide as the “blue-eyed boy” of South Australia. From his century on the second day to his athletic fielding, Head embodied the virtues of perseverance and expertise that would define Australia’s performance through this Test.
Ahead: An Awaiting Decisive Series
Now, with the match tied at 1-1, the final two games promise to be extremely exciting. The Australian win in Adelaide has tilted the balance to their side, but India will aim to gather itself and redeem losses in the next game. The tourists would have to tackle their batting weaknesses and come up with solutions to face Australia’s pacers, mainly Cummins and Starc, who have rediscovered themselves.
It is for Australia, though, to preserve this consistency and capitalize on the momentum. It’s going to be difficult not to when Travis Head is this hot and the bowling firing at will.