Border-Gavaskar: Head hammers 140 as Australia tighten grip on India
Australia took a 157-run lead in the first innings at his home stadium, the Adelaide Oval, thanks to Head smashing a swashbuckling 100.
Australia’s pace bat continued to strengthen their position by beating India’s top half with the pink ball.
India’s comeback was led by Rishabh Pant, who had a 28-not-out performance while Nitish Kumar Reddy had a 29-arrearsey total.
Earlier, after Australia resumed on 86-1, Jasprit Bumrah (4-61) ensured the tourists did not have to wait long for a breakthrough.
After coming up against Bumrah for 39, opener Nathan McSweeney added just one run to his overnight score after only playing his second test.
Steve Smith was also sent off for two by the crafty seamer, who strangled the ineffective batsman down the leg side while wicket holder Rishabh Pant ducked for a diving catch.
In his final eleven test innings, Marnus Labuschagne collected runs with the aim of only his second half-century.
Head, coming in at the other end, was more assertive and hit off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin over the mid-off ropes for his second boundary.
When Labuschagne cut Reddy into a gully where Yashasvi Jaiswal had a sharp catch, they made their 65-run stand.
Head could not be contained, though, and the left-hander continued to play his shots on his way to a 63-ball fifty.
Head hammers India attack
Even though replays showed no bat-ball contact and the batter had not objected, Mitchell Marsh was caught behind by Ashwin.
Head had his share of luck and continued to cut and pull wildly. Mohammed Siraj struggled to hold onto a tough catch in the deep on another occasion as one of his edges veered between the wicketkeeper and the first slip.
Head gesturing to his wife, daughter, and newborn son in the stands took a single off Ashwin to raise his hundred.
Siraj (4-98) finally stopped the batting carnage, bowling him with a yorker.
“When they’ve got the quality of quicks that they’ve got, I guess you’ve got to target something”, Head said, explaining why he targeted Ashwin, India’s lone spinner.
“I felt like I stayed in his spells for a while and managed to get the quicks back into that new ball.”
When they batted, India struggled to get into their second innings.
KL Rahul (seven) was let go by Pat Cummins, who was unable to glove Alex Carey with a steep delivery.
Scott Boland struck with his first ball, dismissing Yashasvi Jaiswal, also caught behind, for 24 just when the batter was looking dangerous.
A subdued Virat Kohli, who made 11, also fell to Boland in similar fashion.
Before Mitchell Starc rearranged his stumps, Shubman Gill had a fluent 28 before he had his stumps bowled by Cummins, who left India reeling.
Pant made a few outrageous shots, including one that caused the 51, 642 fans to laugh as he sent the ball to the rope and threw himself.
Source: Aljazeera
Leave a Reply