India faced a crushing defeat by 10 wickets against Australia in the Adelaide Test, with the pink ball proving to be their undoing. The match, played under day-night conditions, saw India struggle across all areas—batting, bowling, and fielding. Here are the four main reasons for their loss:
Batsmen Struggled with Swing and Bounce
The Indian batsmen found it tough to handle the swing and extra bounce of the pink ball. On the first day, the ball swung up to 1.6 degrees, causing early dismissals. Rohit Sharma’s decision to bat first backfired as KL Rahul and Virat Kohli fell cheaply to Mitchell Starc. The Indian team, once at 71/1, quickly collapsed.
"On the third day, just a mere 16.1 overs were needed as the dregs of defeat stained India’s measured progress so far in its sojourn Down Under."
— Sportstar (@sportstarweb) December 8, 2024
✍️ @kcvblr writes on India's 10-wicket drubbing at the hands of Australia in the #PinkBallTest of the #BorderGavaskarTrophy:… pic.twitter.com/dlGX32llDE
Bowlers Failed to Take Advantage of Floodlight Conditions
In the evening, when the floodlights were on, the Indian pacers couldn’t capitalize on the conditions. After India’s batting collapse, it was expected that the Indian bowlers would challenge the Australian batsmen, but by the end of the first day, Australia had reached 86/1, with no wickets falling in the final session.
Struggles Under Lights in Second Innings
When India came to bat in their second innings, they failed to adjust to the under-light conditions. By stumps on the second day, they were struggling at 128/5. Key batsmen like KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma fell early, with Pat Cummins and Scott Boland taking crucial wickets.
Dropped Catches Gave Travis Head a Lifeline
Australia’s Travis Head was given two chances to stay at the crease. Mohammad Siraj dropped a catch when Head was on 75 runs, and later, Rishabh Pant missed another chance. Head made India pay for these mistakes, scoring 140 runs and leading Australia to a massive 157-run lead.
India’s struggles with the pink ball allowed Australia to dominate, and they won by 10 wickets, chasing down a small target of just 19 runs. The series is now tied 1-1, with the next match scheduled for December 14 at the Gabba, Brisbane.