AUS v IND: The Travis Head-Ache Continues For India
Travis Head continued to torture the Indian Cricket Team as he struck a brilliant century on Day 2 of the second test in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) in Adelaide. One who always comes good at the right moment, Head’s knock was yet another reminder of his dominance against India, having already made his mark in the ICC World Test Championship 2023 Final and ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 Final. Travis Head’s Second Test Century Against India This is Travis Head’s eighth career test match century and second against India in test match cricket. Having played a dogged 89 in the first test in Perth where Australia lost heavily, Head faced India’s pace attack yet again and sent Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana and Mohammed Siraj packing. Head’s first test match hundred against India came in the WTC Final in 2023 when he was sublime to post an innings of 163 as Australia took control. Travis Head’s Masterclass At The Adelaide Oval Travis Head became the first South Australian cricketer to achieve three centuries at the legendary Adelaide Oval. Head’s consistently managed to find openings with relative ease and ensured continued momentum for his side in an important 65-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Marnus Labuschagne, who made 64. His controlled batting kept the game in play for the hosts and hence he was a vital participant in Australia’s innings. Travis Head A Constant Hurdle For India Travis Head has been the thorn in the side of India across formats. Be it test match cricket or ODIs, Head at the crease often sends out trouble signals for India. If Indian bowlers fail to get him out early, Travis Head can snatch the game from them as he did once again in this series. Travis Head And Marnus Labuschagne Steady The Ship Australia started Day 2 at 86/1, appearing very stable until Jasprit Bumrah made a quick breakthrough with the wicket of Nathan McSweeney. He followed that up with another important wicket, Steven Smith, back to the pavilion for just 2 runs. Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne steadied the Australian ship by combining for a 65-run partnership before Labuschagne was dismissed for a well-made 64 by Nitish Kumar Reddy, providing India with much-needed breakthrough. At the time of writing, Australia were at 280 for 5 in 76.3 overs, with Travis Head on 119* off 128. Head’s presence at the crease remains crucial as Australia aim to extend their lead in this crucial second test in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Will Travis Head continue to wound India or will the Indian bowlers stop the bleeding? The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
AUS v IND: Adelaide Oval Brings In The Spin vs Pace Debate
With the second test match between Australia and India nearing, the Adelaide Oval is going to offer a pitch that promises a fair contest between bat and ball. As the match is scheduled as a day-and-night fixture starting on Friday, November 06, 2024, the head curator of the Adelaide Oval, Damian Hough, gave a preview of what to expect from the surface. Pitch At The Adelaide Oval The pitches at Adelaide Oval are simply ideal, with the right level of compaction and moisture to throw a challenge at both pace bowlers and spinners. The surface is expected to be dry and hard so the pace bowlers could have some assistance however this is also expected to throw enough turn and bounce, so the spinners get to shine. The good bounce with a slight turn should make batting challenging however not impossible and provide an exciting contest for both teams. A Balanced Surface At The Adelaide Oval Where movement is promised for the quicker bowlers, the tradition and feel of this pitch has gone so far against the spinners, an expectation that promises to endure in this test match. As the grass at the Adelaide Oval is almost six millimetres deep, it may lend enough cover to the faster bowlers while remaining nice and ripe for the twirling ball as well. It’s spin-friendly, anyway. Although the Adelaide Oval usually favors the fast bowlers, it does not neglect the spinners altogether, especially as the game wears on. This could be the decisive factor as India boasts of a good spin arsenal and Australia too has class spinners. Weather Conditions At Adelaide Despite the concentration on speed and spin, the weather may be challenging as there are predictions of storms on day 1 of the Adelaide test. However, the outlook for the remainder of the game is bright as conditions are expected to improve by the morning of the second day of the game. Thrilling Contest In Store The deck at the Adelaide Oval is going to give a great challenge that will sort out both the fast bowlers and spinners and might promise an exciting test match ahead of both Australia and India. So do let us know whether spin will do a trick or will it only be the pace bowlers who will shine at the Adelaide Oval? The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
