Travis Head scored a magnificent eighth Test hundred as Australia took a commanding lead on the second day of the second day-night Test at the Adelaide Oval, boosting their hopes of leveling the five-match series against the 'India.
Head smashed a total of 140 off 141 to propel Australia to an impressive 337 in their first innings and a lead of 157, before the hosts' impressive battery of fast bowlers reduced India to 128-5 by stumps – still 29 points behind.
Scott Boland (2-39) removed key men Yashasvi Jaiswal (24) and Virat Kohli (11) – both centurions in India's crushing 295-run victory in the first Test in Perth – while Mitchell Starc ( 1-49), fresh from career-best figures of 6-48 in the first innings, cleaned up Shubman Gill (28).
Starc could have had another, but for a no-ball denying him the wicket of Rohit Sharma for a duck. This, however, mattered little as captain Pat Cummins (2-33), who had earlier claimed KL Rahul (7), returned to face his counterpart for six hours late in the evening with perhaps the ball of the series – by throwing. line and nipping just enough to beat the outside edge of Rohit's pushing defense and bring down his off stump.
Heading into day three, Australia will be well aware of the threat still posed by the ever-dangerous Rishabh Pant. So vital in India's series win Down Under four years ago, the hugely successful wicketkeeper played some utterly outrageous shots – including a particularly remarkable reverse draw at slips for four – en route to a 28 unbeaten from 25 balls.
India's Rishabh Pant played a daring reverse draw for four on the second night in Adelaide.
India, meanwhile, will ruin a lead fall from Mohammed Siraj when they were on 76, which would have seen Australia lose six points and lead by just 50 at the time.
Instead, Head raced to a 111-ball hundred, smashing 17 fours and four sixes for his innings – the third of his eight Test tons to come at his home ground in Adelaide.
The 30-year-old southpaw dominated a 74-run partnership with Alex Carey (15), having previously added 65 with Marnus Labuschagne (64), who enjoyed a well-deserved return to form with only his second half century in his last 11 Test innings.
Resuming the day's play with 20 not out and Australia 86-1, a breakthrough came almost immediately for India when Jasprit Bumrah (4-59) bowled Nathan McSweeney (39), caught behind, after adding just one point to his score overnight. .
Indian bowler Jasprit Bumrah makes early breakthroughs on day two in Adelaide
The brilliant Bumrah also dismissed Steve Smith (2) cheaply, albeit a bit choked down the leg side, before Head and Labuschagne settled down.
Nitish Kumar Reddy (1-25) broke the partnership with picking up Labuschagne caught at gully, Australia at this stage were still 12 runs short of India's mark of 180 in the first innings, but Head then stepped on the accelerator to not only obtain a significant gain. lead but potentially make a winning contribution.
Mitchell Marsh (9) fell rather bizarrely, caught by Ravichandran Ashwin (1-53), failing to review the decision despite replays showing no contact between bat and ball, while Siraj (4-98 ) took the key wicket of Head. as he wiped the innings at the back before Australia's numerous forays with the ball in the final session.
The teams will play a third Test starting on December 14 in Brisbane, followed by the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne from December 26 and the final match in Sydney from January 3.
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