With Rishabh Pant (28*) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (15*) at the crease, the duo faces the uphill task of rescuing India and averting a potential defeat. The day firmly belonged to Australia, thanks to a scintillating 140 off 141 balls from Travis Head on his home ground. His blazing knock propelled the hosts to 337, securing a commanding 152-run first-innings lead.
Head’s aggressive innings featured 17 boundaries and four sixes, blending his trademark cuts and pulls with exquisite drives. Reaching his half-century in 63 balls, he needed just 48 more deliveries to notch his eighth Test hundred and third in day-night Tests, delighting a crowd of 51,642. He was ably supported by Marnus Labuschagne, who regained form with a composed 64, and Nathan McSweeney, who contributed a solid 39.
India’s second innings began with a glimmer of hope as Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul struck early boundaries off Mitchell Starc. However, captain Pat Cummins dealt the first blow, dismissing Rahul (7) with a short delivery that cramped him for room, resulting in a faint edge to Alex Carey.
Jaiswal showcased promise with three boundaries but fell to Scott Boland, edging a delivery outside off to Carey. Boland then relentlessly tested Virat Kohli outside the off-stump, eventually inducing an edge to the keeper.
Rishabh Pant counter-attacked in typical fashion, smashing Boland over mid-off and employing a daring reverse lap over the slips for boundaries. Despite being beaten occasionally, he continued his assault with exquisite shots, including a falling hook to the fine-leg fence.
However, the trouble persisted at the other end. Starc bowled a brilliant inswinging delivery to uproot Shubman Gill’s middle stump, while Rohit Sharma, after surviving a no-ball dismissal, was undone by Cummins’ length ball, which straightened to hit the off-stump.
Nitish Kumar Reddy endured a stern examination from Starc and Cummins, surviving a close lbw call and even edging for a boundary. He responded with a delightful cover drive off Cummins and, alongside Pant, added crucial runs. Reddy closed an action-packed day by inside-edging a Boland delivery to the boundary, leaving India with much to ponder heading into Day Three.
