Mitchell Starc delivered a bowling masterclass in Adelaide on the first day of the pink-ball Test. He demolished India with a stunning six-wicket haul. The Australian pacer’s fiery 6/48 was his first five-wicket haul in 20 innings. It left India reeling at 180 all out in 44.1 overs.
Starc’s Dominance Sets the Tone
Starc made an immediate impact. He dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal with the first ball of the match. A full delivery swung in late, trapping Jaiswal lbw. It set the tone for a memorable performance. India fought back during Starc’s initial spell. The pacer conceded five boundaries before being withdrawn from the attack.
Key Breakthroughs in the Second Spell
With renewed vigor, Starc struck twice in quick succession. He removed KL Rahul and Virat Kohli in similar fashion. Both batters misjudged late-swinging deliveries, edging the ball into the slip cordon. These pivotal dismissals shifted the momentum firmly in Australia’s favor.
Session Two: Starc Completes His Six-for
The left-armer’s brilliance continued after the session break. In the first over of his new spell, Starc trapped R Ashwin lbw with a pinpoint delivery. Soon after, he bowled a searing inswinging yorker that uprooted Harshit Rana’s off-stump.
Starc’s final victim, Nitish Kumar Reddy, tried an ambitious shot. He only managed to sky the ball to mid-off, where Travis Head caught it. The wicket ended India’s innings and capped Starc’s stunning performance.
6 Wicket Haul for Mitchell Starc. Baller of Ballers 🔥🫵🏻 pic.twitter.com/YHHT6us8vT
— Hassan Zahid (@Iam_hassan10) December 6, 2024
IND vs AUS 2nd Test, Day 1 Live: Indian Lions falter under the pink ball in Adelaide, as Rohit Brigade is bowled out for 180. Mitchell Starc shines with six wickets.#indvsausTestseries #PinkBallTest #MitchellStarc #TeamIndia #CricketTwitter #cricketlovers pic.twitter.com/36rQ6MgyJs
— Nihar Ranjan (@Niharra98749805) December 6, 2024
No one…
Mitchell Starc to Yashasvi Jaiswal : #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/GTs7og4ePk
— UmdarTamker (@UmdarTamker) December 6, 2024
Mitchell Starc took 6 wickets with the pink boll 🩷
Now it is Jasprit Bumrah’s turn
Jassi bhai #AUSvIND #INDvsAUS #Jaspritbumrah𓃵 #MitchellStarc pic.twitter.com/H7S7kC50Vn— Hudda (@Hudda2024) December 6, 2024
Australia in Command
Starc’s heroics saw India crumble to 180. Australia now had a strong position in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy clash. The Adelaide crowd roared as Starc lifted the ball in celebration. It signaled his return to peak form.
Australia now heads into Day 2 with momentum on their side, aiming to capitalize on their strong start.
