Travis Head’s century and a sensational bowling display under lights have put Australia in a superb position on day two of the second Test at Adelaide Oval.
Head scored 140 and Marnus Labuschagne 64 as Australia made 337 to establish a first-innings lead of 157.
Australia’s quicks then tore into the Indian batting line-up under lights, leaving the tourists 5-128, still 29 runs behind, with a free-hitting Rishabh Pant (28) and rookie Nitish Kumar Reddy (15) the only recognised batters standing between Australia and a convincing victory.
On another day of Test cricket played at fast-forward, Australia put itself into a position to level the Border-Gavaskar series thanks to a superb all-round performance with bat and ball.
Despite losing opener Nathan McSweeney (39) for the addition of just one run to his overnight score, and then Steve Smith (4), Australia steadied nicely with Labuschagne and Head.
Labuschagne (64) looked somewhat close to his old self before edging to Yashasvi Jaiswal, who took a stunning catch at gully.
Head though, marched on supremely, playing his full gamut of shots on the way to a sparkling century, his eighth in Tests.
Travis Head’s bludgeoned a century on day two in Adelaide to push Australia ahead. (Getty Images: Robert Cianflone)
It was not chanceless, with Mohammed Siraj dropping him on 76, making the Indian firebrand’s outrageous send-off when he eventually claimed his wicket for 140 all the more galling, as the febrile on-field atmosphere threatened to boil over.
“I said well bowled but he thought otherwise … when he pointed me to the sheds he got a little bite back from me,” Head told Fox Sports after the day’s play.
“I’m slightly disappointed with how that transpired, with a couple of the past innings.
“It is what it is. If they want to react like that and that’s how they want to represent themselves, then so be it.”
Australia’s tail limped into the final session, setting up a frightful Saturday night examination for India’s top order, which they did not pass.
Pat Cummins and Scott Boland took two wickets each, among them some absolute pearlers, such as Cummins’s millimetre-perfect ball to dislodge the off bail of his opposite number Rohit Sharma (6).
Mitchell Starc also got in on the act with a brutal in-swinger to castle Shubman Gill (28).
Virat Kohli (11) also went cheaply as Boland helped blow the Indians away, with Rishabh Pant’s unorthodox slogging adding more chaos to an occasion enjoyed by 51,642 spectators.
India will need more from him on day three if the tourists are to set Australia anything close to a testing target.
Look back on how all the action unfolded in our live blog.
Here’s where we call it a night for tonight.
Two days, two days won by Australia and they’re well on their way to tying this thing up.
They might well do it tomorrow.
We’ll be back from around 2.30pm AEDT to cover it all live once again.
Thank you for joining us today and we’ll catch you tomorrow!
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It’s been another action-packed day of Test cricket at the Adelaide Oval.
Here are your quick hits.
The hero from day two, Travis Head, speaking to Fox Cricket after stumps and it’s safe to say he’s not happy with Mohammed Siraj.
Here’s what he said. Make of it what you will.
“Well I said, ‘Well bowled’, and he thought otherwise when he pointed me to the sheds and he got a little bite back from me. Slightly disappointed with the way that transpired with a couple of the past innings, but it is what it is. If they want to rep like that and that’s how they want to represent themselves then so be it.”
Another tremendous day for Australia, and they’re rightly led off the ground by the hometown hero, Travis Head.
Head’s brilliant 140 has put Australia well in control and they’re hot favourites to tie up this series 1-1 heading into Brisbane.
Australia took a 152-run lead into the second innings and then the bowlers were once again excellent, ripping out five Indian wickets under the lights.
India’s not quite been at the races during this Test with either the bat or the ball.
The good news is that Pant and Nitish are still out there and if they get in during the day session tomorrow afternoon, they could cause some damage.
It’s going to take something special from here for the home side not to win this Test though.
Scott Boland to finish things off then.
But there’s a bit of a hold-up.
An Indian trainer is out taking a look at Nitish Kumar Reddy’s right hand. He gets the classic magic spray treatment.
Pant on strike to start this over.
FOUR! Rishabh does not care that this is the last over. He charges down the wicket and lofts Boland over the covers with one hand if you don’t mind. Risk? What risk?
Boland goes straighter and Pant works him onto the leg side for a single.
Boland on a good length on middle stump and Nitish walks down the wicket and flicks it onto the leg side for a couple.
Boland goes wider and Nitish leaves it alone.
Carey comes up to the stumps and there’s a stumping appeal! Surely not right?! Replays show Nitish’s foot remains grounded.
FOUR! This kid is fearless. Final ball of the day and there’s no thought of defending it. Nitish swings it onto the leg side recklessly for a boundary.
Boland gives him some absolute lip too and Nitish gives him a nod back.
Short from Cummins and it’s pulled away by Pant to the sweeper at deep square leg for a single.
Short from Cummins on middle stump and it’s awkwardly defended into the off side by Nitish.
Back of a length from Cummins on off stump and Nitish knocks it into the off side for a quick single. Good running.
Pant dabs the next ball into the leg side for another single.
Length ball from Cummins and Nitish defends it well again.
FOUR! SHOT! Cummins goes fuller but it’s in the slot and Nitish unfurls a gorgeous cover drive to end the over. Geez this bloke looks good doesn’t he?
Starc with the outswinger and Pant drives it into the deep for a single.
Wider and full from Starc and Nitish mistimes a drive on the off side.
Starc goes shorter and straighter and the ball whacks into Nitish’s thigh pad.
FOUR! EDGE! An outswinger from Starc and Nitish goes for a big booming drive and nicks it through the slips!
Straighter from Starc on middle stump and it’s well defended by Nitish.
A wider one from Starc to end the over and it’s left alone.
Pat Cummins back into the attack, replacing Scott Boland after an excellent spell.
Cummins pitches one on leg stump and it’s flicked away by Pant for a single.
Captain vs captain now. Big contest coming up here.
Cummins pitches one full just outside off stump and it’s defended into the off side by Rohit.
Back of a length outside off but too wide from Cummins as Rohit leaves comfortably.
Nitish walks down the wicket with the first ball and one flies down the leg side from Cummins. Big appeal from the Aussies and they’ve sent it upstairs for a review.
You could drive a bus in the gap between the bat and ball on that replay. A review purely off vibes there from Cummins, you’ve gotta respect it.
Oh this is special, very, very special from Pat Cummins!
Pitches one on off stump and Rohit plays all around it and the ball cannons into the top of off stump.
The Indian captain has to go for just 6 off 15 deliveries. It’s been a rough return Test for him.
That is peak Cummins, that delivery. A fast bowler’s dream.
Pat Cummins back into the attack, replacing Scott Boland after an excellent spell.
Starc is wide, tempts Rohit but the skipper wisely leaves it alone.
BEATEN! Lovely delivery from Starc. Pitches on off stump and leaves Rohit slightly and he can’t get any bat on that one.
A similar delivery but a little wider that time from Starc and it’s left alone by Rohit.
Another tempter from Starc is left alone from Rohit. It’s an absolute grubber that ends up being an awkward take for Alex Carey behind the stumps, it catches him on the end of the fingers.
Starc goes for an inswinger but it’s a little too short and whacks into Rohit’s thigh pad as he misses an attempted flick.
FOUR! Lovely shot from Rohit! Starc goes full but this time doesn’t get any swing and the Indian captain punches it past mid off for a welcome boundary.
BEATEN! Boland pitches it on middle and floats it across the left-handed Pant again. Unplayable.
Too straight from Boland, Pant flicks it away for two leg byes.
FOUR! Boland goes fuller and wider and Pant charges him and creams it through the covers for a boundary.
FOUR MORE! Another audacious Pant shot! It’s short and on leg stump and Pant unfurls the falling hook shot that goes one bounce into the fence.
Boland goes short and this time Pant goes for a regulation flick and misses it as the ball hits him on the thigh pad.
BEATEN AGAIN! A carbon copy of the first ball of the over. Lovely stuff from Boland!
Oh no Mitchell Starc!
It’s another beautiful inswinger from Starc that catches him plumb in front of middle, and it’s given!
But the umpire calls no-ball!
Replays show that Rohit got some bat on it too. God, everything happening in that delivery!
Starc starts one on off stump and it’s driven beautifully by Gill straight to the fielder in the covers.
BANG! Rohit tries to pull his first ball off Starc and top edges it into his own helmet. That’s got to hurt. He’s probably lucky that’s hit the helmet because it would’ve gone straight in the air. It’s a no-ball from Starc too.
The doctors come out to have a look at Rohit, but he’s given the all clear.
Another full one from Starc and Rohit plays and misses. He looks really, really scratchy out there. Looks like a man who’s not played a lot of cricket lately.
Starc gets a little too straight and Rohit whips him off the pads for a couple. That’ll help his confidence.
Another inswinging yorker to end the over by Starc, but this time Rohit is in behind it.
WHAT. A. DELIVERY.
Starc gets a beautiful inswinger right on the money and disturbs the furniture of Shubman Gill.
Nothing you can do about a ball like that.
Gill looked a million bucks, but he’s got to go for 28 off 30 balls.
India in big, big trouble now.
Indian captain Rohit Sharma strides to the wicket with his side in a deep hole.
BEATEN! A carbon copy of the ball that got Jaiswal as Boland beats the outside edge of the left-handed Pant from over the wicket.
A similar delivery is met by Pant this time, who guides it to backward point and a lovely diving stop from Labuschagne saves runs.
FOUR! WHAT IS THIS?! Boland pitches one on middle and leg and Pant rips out a reverse lap sweep over the top of the slips. This man is outrageous.
Boland nips one back into Pant from a back of a length and it catches him on the thigh pad. Good comeback.
Another one in that testing channel outside off and it’s well left by Pant.
BOOOOOO BORING! A length ball on off stump and Rishabh blocks it. How dare he.
A good yorker from Starc and Pant defends it back down the pitch. Nicely done from the Indian keeper there.
Starc goes wider and pulls his length back, Pant leaves it alone.
A good length delivery on off stump from Starc and Pant pats it into the covers for a quick single.
FOUR! EDGED! A chance! Starc floats one across Gill and catches the edge but the ball floats juuuust wide of a diving Steve Smith in the slips.
Starc gets onto Gills pads and it’s flicked away onto the leg side for a couple.
Back of a length on off stump from Starc and Gill punches it on the back foot for a couple. Glorious shot.
Righto, into the final hour we go.
India two down and trailing Australia by 95.
Boland is full outside off stump and it’s punched down the ground by Kohli for three. A little bit too wide for Boland’s liking that one.
Back of a length from Boland and a little too wide again, Gill pushes it into the off side for a single.
FOUR! Pant charges down the ground with the first delivery and pumps Boland down the ground. Have some of that!
Boland gets onto Pant’s pants and India gets two but it is almost a run out! Rishabh has to get out a full dive and a good throw would’ve had him gone! Risky, risky business.
One bye off the final ball as Rishabh leaves one alone and it’s fumbled by Carey behind the stumps.
He’s done it again!
Scott Boland into that channel outside off stump and he entices a nibble out of Virat Kohli.
He looked solid Virat, but not much he could do about that one, and he’s got to go for 11.
“He’s a nightmare in these conditions,” says Mark Waugh of Boland with the pink ball.
Massive blow for India. Rishabh Pant strides to the wicket.
“He got 100 in Perth, but this match at the Adelaide Oval hasn’t looked like scoring,” says Stuart Clark on ABC Radio.
“There’s all sorts of Barney rubble now for the Indians.”
