Australia's Relentless Bowling Sinks India in Adelaide
Sydney was the last time India felt this helpless away from home, but the scene at the Adelaide Oval stings more. The scoreboard tells its own story: India bowled out for 180 in the first innings, finding themselves pinned to the back foot from the start. Australian quick Mitchell Starc set the tone with immediate impact—he sent Yashasvi Jaiswal packing for a duck in just the opening over, sending an early jolt through the Indian camp. It didn’t get much better from there.
KL Rahul and Shubman Gill tried to apply some band-aid to the gaping wound with a half-century stand—Rahul grinding out 37 and Gill adding a spritely 31. Just as they hinted at momentum, Starc and Josh Hazlewood combined forces to snap the stand. Then came the big wicket: Virat Kohli’s innings lasted just 19 balls, cut short by a piercing bouncer from Starc that drew a nick and a resigned walk back.
Middle-order hope Rishabh Pant dug in but never looked truly settled before being dismissed for 21. India’s lower order crumbled under relentless pressure—to be bowled out for 180 in just over 44 overs on an Adelaide surface is rare, exposing technical and mental fragility under the Australian siege.
Australia’s Batters Take Command, Indian Hopes Fade
After the carnage, Australia stepped in and made it look like a different pitch. Openers settled in, with Nathan McSweeney and Marnus Labuschagne stringing together a tidy 50-run stand. McSweeney’s composure and Labuschagne’s precision guided the hosts to 86/1 at stumps, giving Australian fans little to sweat about.
Come Day Two, the Aussies flexed further, stretching their first-innings total to a menacing 337. The baton was passed smoothly between the batsmen, their innings marked by grit and big partnerships instead of wild shots. The result? A 157-run mountain for India to climb, with Australia’s bowlers licking their lips at the prospect of another go at a shaky Indian lineup.
India’s turn came, and the script hardly changed. The second innings unraveled as quickly as the first. Australian pacers zeroed in on the stumps and edges, and the visitors’ batters failed to put together any meaningful partnerships. The familiar collapse followed—bundled out for just 175 and looking all out of sorts, especially against Pat Cummins’ bounce and Starc’s late movement.
With only 19 runs left to chase, Australia didn’t waste time. They romped home without losing a wicket, securing a thumping 10-wicket win to put this Test firmly in the ‘one-sided’ category.
India’s struggles in Adelaide have laid bare questions about their batting order, approach under pressure, and ability to withstand Australia’s fast-bowling barrage. As debates swirl about team balance and mental steel, the hosts, meanwhile, walk away with renewed dominance in home conditions.
