On Day 2 of the second Test between India and Australia at Adelaide Oval, half-centuries from Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head guided Australia to 191/4, surpassing India’s first-innings total of 180. With an 11-run lead at the dinner break in the day-night Test, Australia positioned themselves for a potential series-leveling victory.
Bumrah Strikes Early
Resuming at 86/1, Australia faced early trouble as Jasprit Bumrah, the star of India’s win in the Perth opener, claimed two crucial wickets. Nathan McSweeney, playing in only his second Test, added just one run to his overnight score of 38 before edging Bumrah to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant. Soon after, Bumrah sent an out-of-form Steve Smith back for two, catching him down the leg side where Pant completed a sharp diving catch.
Labuschagne Steady, Head Aggressive
Marnus Labuschagne anchored Australia’s innings with a composed knock, carefully accumulating runs while avoiding unnecessary risks. This innings marked only his second fifty in his last 11 Test innings. Labuschagne’s calm approach contrasted with the aggressive intent shown by Travis Head, who struck two sixes off Ravichandran Ashwin and found boundaries with ease.
Head’s confident play seemed to inspire Labuschagne, who later took on Harshit Rana, hitting three fours in four deliveries. Together, the pair stitched a 65-run partnership before Nitish Kumar Reddy dismissed Labuschagne for 64 with a sharp catch at gully by Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Head Leads the Charge
Unfazed by the fall of Labuschagne, Head continued his onslaught, reaching a brisk half-century off just 63 balls. His counter-attacking approach added momentum to Australia’s innings as they looked to extend their lead. At the break, Head remained unbeaten on 53, joined by Mitchell Marsh, who was batting on two.
Australia’s Strategy Moving Forward
With a slender lead and six wickets in hand, Australia is eyeing a substantial second-innings score to put pressure on India. Travis Head’s form and the contributions from the lower order will be crucial in determining the outcome of the match as the series hangs in the balance.
