Clinical Australia hammer India in Adelaide to level series in style

In the aftermath of the team’s shocking 295-run defeat in Perth, Australia were adamant that the press and the general public were overreacting and vowed to bounce back in the second game in Adelaide. 

Come the big occasion, the Kangaroos have ended up walking the talk as they’ve hammered India by 10 wickets to level the five-match series 1-1. With the win, Australia continue their pink-ball dominance at the Adelaide Oval, having now won each of the eight games they’ve played there. West Indies remain the only team to beat the Aussies in a day-night game.

The Kangaroos began the third day with victory in sight, with India 29 behind with just five wickets in hand. However, they knew the game was far from over with Rishabh Pant still at the crease.

But the hosts managed to eliminate the threat of Pant in the very first over courtesy of Mitchell Starc, who got the left-hander to nick one to second slip.

Once Pant was sent back to the shed, it was the Pat Cummins show that lit up Adelaide. The skipper went bang, bang, bang to take each of the next three wickets and notch up his 13th fifer in Test cricket. It was Cummins’ 8th five-for as captain - only Imran Khan (12) and Richie Benaud (9) have more as skipper. 

Nitish Reddy (42) dazzled for the fourth time in as many innings, and his efforts helped India avoid an innings defeat. However, it was nothing but a mere consolation as the Aussies romped home with 10 wickets to spare. 

Incidentally, Nathan Lyon wasn’t required to bowl in the second innings at all and only bowled one over in the entire Test.

The Aussie seamers took all 20 wickets, making it the first instance since the 2012 Perth Test of the home quicks taking all 20 wickets in a Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test.

Instances of Australia pacers taking all 20 wickets against India in a Test match

Gabba, Brisbane, 1991

WACA, Perth, 1992

WACA, Perth, 2012

Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, 2024*

It’s the first-ever instance of the Aussie quicks taking all 20 wickets in a Test at the Adelaide Oval

Most wickets for Australian pacers in a Test in Adelaide

20 vs India, 2024

18 vs India, 1992

18 vs Sri Lanka, 1996

17 vs England, 1982

17 vs West Indies, 2009

The turnaround is a short one. The third Test will be played at the Gabba, Brisbane, from December 14 (Saturday). 

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