Match 2 report: BGT 2024

The second test between India and Australia of the Border Gavaskar Trophy was a complete bizarre for the visitors. The match was played with pink ball and it was the Indian team who failed to negotiate with the Australian pace attack. Moreover, the batsmen collapsed in the both the innings and ultimately it was host team that dusted them completely.

The match started in the afternoon of 6th December at The Adelaide Oval and the toss was won by India as they chose to bat. All the drama started in the very first ball itself as Yashasvi Jaiswal departed on a golden duck off Mitchell Starc. That ball gave perfect start to the Australian side as none of the Indian achieved a significant milestone in that innings. Highest contribution was made by Nitish Reddy as he scored a quick 42 off 54 balls. On the other side, Starc ended up with exceptional figures of 14.1-2-48-6. 

Indians posted 180 after the end of their batting in first innings but chasing that down was a piece of cake for the hosts, Travis Head and Marcus Labuschagne ate and left no crumbs as they both dominated with the bat. The former scored a solid century and the latter post a decent half century on the board. Hence, by the end of first innings, Australians were leading by 157 runs. The only positive thing for Indian team was Jasprit Bumrah’s and Mohammad Siraj’s 8 wickets. 

After all the chaos by Indians, they had to do a steep task in hand but none of them delivered, yet again! Again, it was Nitish Reddy who showed some discipline as the scored 42 off 47. India managed to score only 175 runs with little contributions from all the batters. It is was the skipper- Pat Cummins who took a five wicket haul and destructed the oppositions. 

By the end of India’s second innings, men in yellow had to chase only 19 runs! They did the same in no time and ultimately won the second match of BGT 2024-25. The next match is scheduled on 14th December, 2024 at The Gabba. Hopefully, Indian team will turn around the tables and put off a better show on. 

It shall be noted that each defeat can cost a lot to Indian side as they still have to afix their spot in the finals of World Test Championship 2025, which will be played at the Lord’s on 11 June, 2025. Hence, it’s time for them to retrospect and bounce back harder.