Mitchell Starc Wreaks Havoc on India in Day 1 of Pink-Ball Test
India’s Rocky Start: In the second Test, Mitchell Starc’s first ball bowled Yashasvi Jaiswal. This set the tone for Australia’s early domination. India crumbled under Starc’s fierce second spell. This was despite a 69-run partnership between KL Rahul and Shubman Gill.
Starc’s Second Spell Turns the Tide
Australia’s skipper, Pat Cummins, turned to Starc for a key second spell. The left-arm pacer didn’t disappoint. KL Rahul was looking solid with 37 runs. But, he fell to a delivery with extra bounce. Nathan McSweeney made a brilliant catch.
Starc struck again in his next over. He removed Virat Kohli, the centurion from the last match, for just 7 runs off 8 balls. Kohli survived a close call against Scott Boland. A mistimed shot went for a boundary. But, Starc’s rising delivery sealed his fate. Steve Smith took a sharp catch in the slips.
Mitchell Starc sends Virat Kohli packing!#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/2AzNllS7xT
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 6, 2024
Shubman Gill Falls to Boland
Meanwhile, Scott Boland maintained consistent pressure with his disciplined line and length. His efforts paid off. He dismissed Shubman Gill, who missed a full delivery and was bowled after scoring 31 runs.
India are stumbling at the moment, losing their last three wickets for just 12 runs 🤯👀
Scott Boland picks up his first wicket, sending Shubman Gill back after a decent knock on his return 🇦🇺👊
🇮🇳 – 81/4#ShubmanGill #India #AUSvIND #Sportskeeda pic.twitter.com/rzILvjzRNe
— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) December 6, 2024
India Struggling at Lunch
By lunch on Day 1, India were reeling at 82/4. The visitors had made bold changes to their lineup. They replaced Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, and Washington Sundar. In their place, they added Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Ravichandran Ashwin. However, the new combination failed to provide the solid start they desperately needed.
𝙈𝙞𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙡 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙘 𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙩 𝘼𝙙𝙚𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙊𝙫𝙖𝙡! 🇦🇺🔥
He sends the dangerous Virat Kohli back for just 7 runs 🤯👀
Third wicket for the Aussie left-arm speedster! 👊
🇮🇳 – 77/3#MitchellStarc #India #AUSvIND #Sportskeeda pic.twitter.com/IvfXJAptU9
— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) December 6, 2024
Key Statistics from Day 1, Session 1
- India’s Score: 82/4 at lunch
- Top Scorer: KL Rahul – 37 runs off 82 balls
- Star Performers:
- Mitchell Starc – 3 wickets (Jaiswal, Rahul, Kohli)
- Scott Boland – 1 wicket (Gill)
