Sun Dec 08 07:04:38 UTC 2024: ## India’s Battering Continues in Adelaide as Australia Extends Lead
**Adelaide, Australia:** Australia maintained their dominance on day two of the second Test against India in Adelaide, leaving the tourists struggling at the close of play. Following on from their first innings total of 337, which gave them a 157-run lead over India’s 180, Australia’s bowlers wreaked havoc on the Indian batting line-up.
India’s second innings started poorly, losing five wickets for 128 runs, still trailing by 29 runs at stumps. The top order crumbled, with KL Rahul (7), Yashasvi Jaiswal (24), Virat Kohli (11), and Shubman Gill (28) all failing to make significant contributions. Captain Rohit Sharma also fell cheaply, scoring only 6. Pat Cummins and Scott Boland each claimed two wickets, while Mitchell Starc took one. Rishabh Pant (28*) and Nitish Reddy (15*) will resume the innings on day three.
Earlier in the day, India had made some inroads into Australia’s first innings, with Jasprit Bumrah dismissing key batsmen Steve Smith and Alex Carey, and Nitish Reddy removing the dangerous Marnus Labuschagne. However, Labuschagne and Travis Head’s strong partnerships helped Australia extend their lead. Head went on to score a century, before being bowled by Mohammed Siraj for 140. Bumrah also dismissed Pat Cummins and Mohammed Siraj removed Mitchell Starc. Siraj ended the innings, bowling out Scott Boland.
Despite early Indian wickets in Australia’s first innings, Head’s century and strong performances from other Australian batsmen proved too much for the Indian bowlers to overcome. India faces a significant challenge to avoid a heavy defeat in this pink-ball Test.
First Piper 