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Follow Us“On the morning of day three, no one would have expected that match to be over, but it was some really good bowling from Australia. I don’t think the pitch played a part; it was really good bowling.”
What better way to spice up things than opening up old scars? That’s what Damian Hough, Adelaide Oval’s curator, did two days before the day-night Test. He reminded all the Indian fans that the 36 all-out was because of good bowling and not the pitch.
India might have a 1-0 lead in the series, but can the pink ball continue to elevate India’s pace attack to another level? Here’s all you need to look out for during the Adelaide Test.
What are we expecting out of Adelaide Oval?
“Assistance equally for pacers and spinners. It will also be good for batters to build partnerships.”
Hough called the Adelaide Oval’s track one for all. Expect a fair play between the bat and the ball with the grass cut to 6 millimetres (usual practice).
Can we draw inferences from any recent matches?
As a part of pitch preparation for the second Test, Western Australia and South Australia played a D/N fixture in the Sheffield Shield. Jhye Richardson got the ball hooping in that clash, but apart from that, it was a contest that had everything for everyone, including the openers, evident from the centuries.
But what’s to note is that run-scoring wasn’t the easiest; it took a lot of grafting and gruelling sessions against some great bowlers for all the batters who made runs to make runs. Only one spinner picked up a wicket - Correy Rocchiccioli, as 38 wickets fell to pace.
The challenge of the pink ball
Unlike the traditional red ball, the pink ball is known to act quite differently because of the extra lacquer in place. The most significant difference between the two is that the pink ball holds its shape far longer than the red ball, which means batting won’t get any easier as the day progresses.
Not only that, it also slides on at a much quicker pace, which means batters don’t have that extra second of reaction time. It is often the difference between good batters and great batters.
And in Siraj’s own words, "I think that with the pink ball, it's better to bowl back of length. Because pitching it up, there's not a lot of swing, so the more you hit the deck and get it to seam, it will be better for us.”
So, watch out for Jasprit Bumrah and Pat Cummins, who could have a significant say.
Usman Khawaja’s ‘battle’ against Siraj
Use battle, struggle, match-up, bunny, or any term you want. But the reality remains that Khawaja has struggled immensely against Siraj, who has not just got the ball to straighten against him but also has got the ball to bend back in, catching the left-hander off-guard.
With a min of 50 deliveries, Khawaja has the lowest average against Siraj in Tests (10.3) with three dismissals and a staggering false shot percentage of 24.1. Watch out for that contest, as it could make or break the entire flow of the Test.
KL Rahul’s consistency with inconsistency
Rahul always looks like a top-notch batter before he doesn’t. In every Test series, he starts in the most pristine manner but somehow drops intensity by the end. Let’s start with the 2018 trip to Australia; Rahul started the series in top-notch fashion, scoring a 44 in Adelaide before registering scores of 2, 0 & 9.
He did something similar in England during the 2021 series as well. He started the first two Tests staggeringly (84, 26, 129, 5) before scoring 0, 8, 17, and 46. Not shockingly, Rahul started the series with 101 against South Africa earlier this year before failing in the other two innings.
Rahul would want to avoid all those mistakes here in Australia, where he’s started with 26 & 77 thus far.
Steve Smith’s caught-behind act in day-night Test
13 dismissals for Smith in day-night Tests have been caught.
Out of which, seven have come behind the stumps, either to the slips or to the wicketkeeper, which is a real template for India. But if nick doesn’t come, then there’s the short ball ploy, which has troubled Smith in day-night Tests, courtesy of Neil Wagner, Alzarri Joseph and Mark Wood.
Quite a few patterns have bogged down Smith in the pink ball Tests, where even his average has taken a beating (40), which reduces to 34.8 against pacers.
Virat Kohli, build a statue outside Adelaide Oval?
Surely, there must already be a statue of Kohli outside the Adelaide Oval, right?
If not, it is time for the South Australia Cricket Association (SACA) to consider it. After all, he’s scored five international centuries at the venue and amassed 509 runs in Tests at the Adelaide Oval, averaging 63.62.
One of Kohli’s best knocks, Down Under, too, came in Adelaide in 2014, when he scored a twin ton across innings to nearly take India to a historic win. Even the last time around in Adelaide, Kohli had a sublime inning in the first dig when he scored 74 and looked flawless.
As an outsider, only Brian Lara (610), Sir Jack Hobbs (601) and Sir Viv Richards (552) have scored more runs than Kohli at the venue. So, we could see another Kohli classic.
Who takes the new ball in Hazlewood’s absence?
Australia without Josh Hazlewood, does it sound as scary as with him? The answer is probably no, and that’s what Hazlewood brings to the table: a really accurate robot that can challenge batters.
In 2024, Hazlewood has picked up 34 wickets, averaging 13.4. That’s the best-ever average for him in a Test year, which signifies how much Australia will miss him. He’s daunted batting units with the new ball in hand.
That’s where his absence might hurt Australia. It forces Pat Cummins to pick up the new ball, with which he averages 23.3. That could seriously dent Australia’s plans, with Scott Boland needing to take up that enforcer role.
Starc could be the saviour for Australia
Starc is the master of the pink ball. No one in Test cricket has picked up more wickets (39) than what Starc has with the pink ball. While that’s also because Australia have played far more day-night Tests than others in history, it is also because the left-arm pacer likes bowling under the lights.
In particular, Starc has been great in the first sessions, where he has picked up 17 wickets and is averaging 12.6. In Hazlewood’s absence, Australia might rely on Starc as their saviour with the new ball.
No longer invincibles in day-night Test are Australia
The streak is broken.
That’s what West Indies would have told themselves and sledged Australia when they broke their unbeaten record in pink ball Tests at the iconic Gabba. If anything, the Gabba Test showed Australia’s vulnerability against good quality pace attack, and that’s precisely what India are too.
With their streak broken, there’s a good chance Australia could walk out vulnerable.
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