Fri Dec 06 14:36:58 UTC 2024: ## Australia Trails After India’s Strong First Innings in Pink-Ball Thriller
**Adelaide, Australia** – Day 1 of the second Test between India and Australia in Adelaide ended with the hosts trailing by 94 runs, reaching 86/1 at stumps after India posted a challenging 180. Mitchell Starc stole the show for Australia, claiming a career-best 6/48, dismantling India’s batting order despite a late surge from Nitish Kumar Reddy (42).
India, winning the toss and electing to bat, suffered an early blow when Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed for a golden duck by Starc’s first ball. Despite a 69-run partnership between KL Rahul (37) and Shubman Gill (31), India’s innings collapsed mid-session. Starc’s devastating spell included the wickets of Rahul, Virat Kohli, and Gill, leaving India reeling at 82/4 at dinner.
Rohit Sharma’s return to the middle order proved short-lived, falling to Scott Boland for 3. A late flurry of runs from Reddy, who attempted to propel India’s score, couldn’t fully compensate for the damage inflicted by Starc’s fiery bowling.
In reply, Australia lost Usman Khawaja (13) to Jasprit Bumrah early, but Nathan McSweeney (38*) and Marnus Labuschagne (20*) steered the innings towards stumps, leaving the match poised for an exciting second day. The floodlights malfunctioned twice during Australia’s innings, adding an unusual element to the day’s play. The second day promises a thrilling contest as Australia seeks to recover lost ground and India aims to capitalize on their strong first innings performance.
First Piper 