Ending a decade-old drought, India defeated Australia in the first Test match at Adelaide on Monday by 31 runs. With this India, lead the four-match Test series by 1-0. Indian bowlers put up a consistent show throughtout the first Test. However, on Day 5, it was not a cakewalk for India as Australian lower-order batsmen put up a formidable show, refusing to bow down easily. Nathan Lyon led the show with an unbeaten 38 off 47 balls. At one point, it looked like Australia had chances to bounce back to the game.
However, Indian bowlers scalped wickets in regular breaks to prevent what could have been a huge upset, with Jasprit Bumrah, Ashwin and Mohammed Shami getting three wickets each. In the morning session of the fifth day of the Adelaide Test, India claimed three key Australian wickets as the visiting side inched closer to a memorable win, having set a target of 323.
Australia headed to lunch at 186 for 6 losing both overnight batsmen—Travis Head and Shaun Marsh—in the first session. Shortly after play resumed following lunch, India claimed the wicket of skipper Tim Paine, who skied a pull shot off Bumrah and gave wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant his 10th catch of the match, equalling the Indian record for dismissals held by Wriddhiman Saha. Paine made 41.
Having resumed at 104 for 4, the Head-Marsh partnership lasted barely eight overs when Ishant Sharma forced Head to fend a sharp bouncer to Ajinkya Rahane at gully. Head had made 14 runs. Marsh, Australia’s top scorer in the innings so far, made his 10th Test half-century off 146 balls. Marsh fell for 60, edging Bumrah behind to Pant.
Meanwhile, Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant equalled the record of highest number of catches in a Test on Monday. Pant is level with Jack Russell and AB de Villiers with 11 dismissals in the match. The next Test will begin on December 14 at Perth.
