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As Australia prepares for the Indian challenge for the second Test, a day-night pink-ball affair at Adelaide, all eyes will be on Men in Blue's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who will be looking to add more milestones and records to his already legendary run in overseas conditions.
The Adelaide test will kickstart from December 6 onwards, with India heading into the game with a mental and physical edge over the Aussies who were left devastated by Bumrah's bowling and captaincy during a 295-run loss at Perth's Optus Stadium in the first Test. However, the visitors would be looking to overcome the ghosts of the 2020 Adelaide pink-ball Test, which saw them bundle out for their lowest Test score of 36 runs, starting off the series on a nightmarish note. Aussies will be keen to tackle Bumrah properly and no doubt must be working on strategies to play him during their nets sessions. Especially for senior batters like Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja, it would be crucial that they show respect to Bumrah's lethal deliveries as a small mistake could cost them their wicket and maybe, the match itself. Bumrah is threatening with the shiny pink ball, which differs in terms of shine, colour and lacquer as compared to the traditional red ball. In three pink-ball matches, he has played, Bumrah has gathered 10 wickets at an average of 14.50, which is much lower than his career Test average of 20.06, as per Sydney Morning Herald. This includes a five-wicket haul against Sri Lanka at Bengaluru in 2022. Spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, if he plays, could also be a lethal option for India, having taken 18 wickets in four pink-ball matches, averaging a brilliant 13.83. He has two four-wicket hauls in pink-ball Tests. Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy have never featured in a day-night Test and could spring up a few surprises for Aussies, who have very little experience of playing with them or against them in international cricket or the Indian Premier League (IPL). On the other hand, Australia's pace attack, consisting of Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and a returning Scott Boland has been extremely effective with the pink-ball, having led the team to 11 wins in 12 matches. Starc is a lethal weapon when unleashed with a pink ball in hands, under the lights. He has the highest number of wickets in pink-ball Tests, having taken 66 scalps in 12 matches at an average of 18.71. He has two five-wicket hauls and a six-wicket haul in his pink-ball Test resume. Boland is also a stunner under the lights with his pink weapon, having taken seven wickets at an average of 13.71 in two pink-ball matches. His accuracy and seam movement will test India during the match. India will be haunted by his heroics in the ICC World Test Championship final, which saw him take five wickets, including the prized wicket of Virat Kohli. Skipper Pat Cummins has taken 34 wickets in seven pink-ball matches at an average of 18.34, which also includes a six-fer against Sri Lanka at Brisbane in 2019. Nathan Lyon has the most wickets by a spinner in pink-ball matches, proving his versatility and all-round effectiveness as a spinner. He has 43 wickets in 12 matches at an average of 25.48, with a five-wicket haul to his name against Pakistan in 2019 at Adelaide Oval. This battle of world-class bowling attacks would be a treat to watch. While Australia has an unmatched pink-ball Test cricket legacy and individual statistics, India has its top weapons in Bumrah and Ashwin. They do have some inexperience on their side, but the surprise factor will only add excitement to this match. (ANI)
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