IND vs AUS Pink Ball Test: As Australia prepares to take on the Indian challenge in the second Test match to be played with day-night pink ball in Adelaide, all eyes will once again be on fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who has been building on his already brilliant performance in overseas conditions. Would like to add more records. The Adelaide Test will begin on December 6, with India playing a mentally and physically strong Australian team, which was devastated by Bumrah’s bowling and captaincy during the 295-run defeat at the Optus Stadium in Perth in the first Test.
However, the visitors will be looking to shake off the ghost of the 2020 Adelaide Pink Ball Test, in which they were bundled out for 36, their lowest Test score, giving them a nightmare start to the series. The Australian team will be keen to face Bumrah in the right manner and no doubt they will be working on strategies to play him during his net sessions. Especially for senior batsmen like Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja, it will be important to respect Bumrah’s lethal balls as a small mistake can force them to lose their wicket and perhaps even lose the match.
Bumrah is proving dangerous with the bright pink ball, which is different in terms of shine, color and lacquer compared to the traditional red ball. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, he has taken 10 wickets at an average of 14.50 in the three pink-ball matches played so far, which is much lower than his career Test average of 20.06. This also includes taking five wickets against Sri Lanka in Bengaluru in 2022.
Spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, if he plays, can be a lethal option for India, having taken 18 wickets in four pink-ball matches at an impressive average of 13.83. He has taken four wickets twice in pink ball Test. Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy have never played a day-night Test and could bring some surprises for the Australian team should the Australian team face them with or against them in international cricket or the Indian Premier League (IPL). Have very little playing experience.
On the other hand, Australia’s fast bowling attack, which includes Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and the returning Scott Boland, has been extremely effective with the pink ball, leading the team to 11 wins in 12 matches. Starc becomes a lethal weapon when playing with the pink ball under lights. He has taken the most wickets in test matches played with pink ball, taking 66 wickets in 12 matches at an average of 18.71. He has taken five wickets twice and six wickets once in test matches played with pink ball.
Boland has also been performing brilliantly under lights while playing with the pink ball, taking 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 disappointed by his stellar performance in the final of the ICC World Test Championship, in which he took five wickets, including the prized wicket of Virat Kohli. Captain Pat Cummins has taken 34 wickets at an average of 18.34 in seven pink-ball matches, including a six-wicket haul against Sri Lanka in Brisbane in 2019.
Nathan Lyon has taken the most wickets as a spinner in pink-ball matches, proving his versatility and all-round effectiveness as a spinner. He has taken 43 wickets in 12 matches at an average of 25.48, which includes a five-wicket haul against Pakistan at the Adelaide Oval in 2019. This battle of world class bowling attacks will be worth watching. Australia has unmatched legacy and individual statistics in pink-ball Test cricket, while India have their top weapons in Bumrah and Ashwin. They lack some experience, but the surprise factor will only add excitement to this match.
(with ANI inputs)