3 worrying signs for India from Australia's improved performance in 2nd BGT 2024-25 Test ft. Pat Cummins' regained form
Australia thumped India by 10 wickets at the Adelaide Oval in the pink-ball Test of BGT 2024-25 on Sunday, December 8. By hammering the hosts inside three days, the Aussies squared the five-match series 1-1. India had beaten Australia by 295 runs in the first match of the series in Perth.
Resuming their second innings on Day 3 at 128-5, India were bowled out for 175. The visitors suffered a big setback as the dangerous Rishabh Pant was dismissed by Mitchell Starc without adding to his overnight score of 28. Nitish Kumar Reddy once again top-scored with 42 off 47, but there was no resistance from the tail.
India's second innings folded up in just 36.5 overs. Australia were set a target of 19 runs to level the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 1-1. They cruised to a comprehensive win, chasing the small target in 3.2 overs.
On that note, let's take a look at three worrying signs for India from Australia's improved performance in the second BGT 2024-25 Test match.
#1 Travis Head's sheer dominance against India
Travis Head has been a thorn in India's flesh for some time. And the Indian bowlers cannot seem to find a way past him until he has posted a substantial score. The 11 he scored in the first innings in Perth was an aberration and although Australia lost the Test, Head contributed 89 in the second innings.
In Adelaide, he was the big difference between the two sides in the batting department. After India were bowled out for 180 in their first innings, they had reduced the Aussies to 103-3. However, Head slammed 140 off 141 balls, clobbering 17 fours and four sixes to ensure a sizeable 157-run lead for the hosts.
As has been the case so often, India's bowlers looked completely clueless in the face of Head's counterattack. With three more Tests to go in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, India's lack of effectiveness against the Aussie left-hander is a big sign of worry. A massive headache for India for sure.
#2 Pat Cummins rediscovering his form
Australian captain Pat Cummins looked out of sorts with the ball in the Perth Test. He registered figures of 2-67 from 15.4 overs in the first innings, going at an economy rate of 4.30. In the second essay, he bowled 25 overs and conceded 86 runs, picking up only one wicket, that of Dhruv Jurel.
Apart from Cummins struggling with the ball, Australia went on to lose the Test by a big margin. Being the leader, there was additional pressure on the pace bowler heading into the pink-ball Test in Adelaide. The 31-year-old played a good support role to Mitchell Starc (6-48) in the first innings, picking up 2-41 in 12 overs.
It was in the second innings that Cummins came into his own, picking up his 13th five-wicket haul in Test cricket. He registered figures of 5-57 from 14 overs as India collapsed to 175 in the second innings. The Australia captain picked up four wickets with the short ball, including that of KL Rahul, and produced a peach of a length ball to knock over his opposite number Rohit Sharma.
#3 Marnus Labuschagne getting back among the runs
Senior Australian batter Marnus Labuschagne has been struggling for batting rhythm for some time now. He looked completely out of form in the first Test in Perth as he was dismissed for 2 & 3, respectively. Ahead of the day-night Test in Adelaide, some experts called for his axing from the playing XI.
Labuschagne wasn't fluent in the first innings in the pink-ball Test as well. However, he managed to spend plenty of time at the crease, nearly 200 minutes, compiling 64 off 126 balls. The right-handed batter hit nine fours in his patient knock before he was dismissed by Nitish Kumar Reddy.
As mentioned earlier, the 30-year-old did not seem in great touch with the willow. However, the fact that he spent a lot of time at the crease in the first innings in Adelaide will give him a lot of confidence. Labuschagne getting back among the runs is definitely another warning sign for India ahead of the Brisbane Test.