IND vs AUS, 2nd Test: Centurion Head, pacers put Australia in driver’s seat on second day

The faithful, who congregated at the Adelaide Oval, relished the local hero’s exploits. Travis Head, back in his city, and against a familiar rival, turned on his aggressive mode. The southpaw’s blistering hundred held Australia in good stead as the second Test swung the host’s way here on Saturday.

If Head’s 137 derailed India in the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup final at Ahmedabad, the latest 140 at his home ground could help Australia spring back in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, in which Pat Cummins and his men trail at 0-1. At close of play on the second day, after Australia scored 337 in its first innings and gained a 157-run lead, India wobbled at 128 for five in the second innings and trails by 29 runs.

K.L. Rahul tried to pull one down the leg-side off Cummins and feathered the ball straight to Alex Carey. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill found the odd four but the former succumbed to Scott Boland’s nagging accuracy with Carey’s gloves again coming into play.

The same pacer-keeper combine got the better of Virat Kohli and when Mitchell Starc scattered Gill’s stumps, it was left to Rishabh Pant’s chutzpah to lend some cheer to the Indian fans. Pant often toppled over while scooping Boland over third-man and fine-leg while skipper Rohit Sharma after surviving a Starc questionnaire, lost his citadel to Cummins.

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Earlier, in an afternoon of bright skies and persistent breeze, Australia resumed at the overnight 86 for one. Opener Nathan McSweeney retreated in the day’s third over as Jasprit Bumrah bowled tighter lines and found his desserts. If McSweeney nibbled at one close to the off-stump, Steve Smith wafted at a ball down the leg-side and in both instances, Pant’s gloves were waiting.

Bumrah’s morning spell of 4-1-10-2 offered hope but the roar that greeted Head on his arrival, seemed to be a premonition of a dreary outing for the visitors. With Marnus Labuschagne being the eager beaver, and Head the marauder, Harshit Rana felt the scalding heat of the Aussie willows. The seamer lost his radar and the two batters cashed in.

R. Ashwin stepped in and Head, ever keen to mark his territory, hoisted a six. And Labuschagne motored towards his 50. The 65-run fourth-wicket partnership ended when Labuschagne slashed at Nitish Kumar Reddy and found a leaping Jaiswal to reduce Australia to 168 for four and perhaps, nurse a good appetite ahead of the break.

After the intermission, Ashwin got one past Mitchell Marsh’s bat and the batter instantly walked. Meanwhile, Head punched, slashed, pulled and stepped out too, while Carey and Cummins played the supporting roles. After hoisting Ashwin for a six, Head’s repeat-act swivelled high but Mohammed Siraj could not hold on.

Having savoured the reprieve, Head charged towards his ton and the stands were agog with excitement. India pulled back through the new-ball and Siraj castled Head but the seamer’s obnoxious send-off to the centurion evoked boos from the audience. By then, Head had set Australia on a good platform.