IND v AUS 2020: India lose openers in first session of Adelaide pink-ball Test
Beginning tentatively and losing a wicket off the second ball, India limped to 41 for two, losing their openers in the first session of the Adelaide day-night Test against Australia.
Winning the toss was a good start for Virat Kohli in India’s first-ever overseas pink-ball Test. In fact, India have never lost a Test when Kohli has won the toss, winning 21 out of 25 so far.
The start to the innings, however, was not as ideal. India now look to the experience of Cheteshwar Pujara (17* off 88) and Virat Kohli (5* off 22) to steady the ship.
The buzz was all about Prithvi Shaw since the time India announced the line-up for Adelaide on the match’s eve. Woefully out of form, Shaw got the nod ahead of both KL Rahul and Shubman Gill.
The 21-year-old, however, fell for a second-ball duck trying to play away from the body again, an issue he has struggled with in recent times. A tentative stride with a gap between bat and front pad saw him drag the ball back onto the middle-stump.
Shaw, who began his Test career with a century on debut against the touring West Indies in 2018, now has five ducks and four single-digit scores in his last 11 innings (including first-class and IPL).
Pujara, India’s hero on the 2018-19 tour of Australia, opened the scoring for India on the fourth ball of the innings after he edged a length ball from Starc that just fell short of the first slip.
The Indian batters lived dangerously in the first session as Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood tested them with tight lines and lengths. It was on the final ball of the tenth over when Mayank Agarwal struck the first boundary for India, in the form of a trademark cover-drive.
The introduction of Pat Cummins into the attack further tightened proceedings for the Indians. The world’s no.1 Test bowler dished out three back-to-back maidens before cleaning up Agarwal with the first ball of his fifth over. Cummins got the ball to nip back, and found a little gap between Agarwal’s bat and pad.
The first session also saw debutant Cameron Green being introduced into the attack. Starting his career with a no-ball, the all-rounder bowled two overs before the dinner break on Day One.
Brief scores
India 41 for two (Cheteshwar 17*, Mayank Agarwal 17; Mitchell Starc 1 for 17, Pat Cummins 1 for 3) at Dinner on Day 1 vs Australia