Melbourne [Australia]: Ahead of the second Test of the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Adelaide, ICC Hall of Famer Ricky Ponting praised Virat Kohli’s game-changing knock in the second innings of the Perth Test, calling it a perfect example of batting with intent. Kohli ended a long century drought with an unbeaten 100, his first Test century since July 2023 and his third in five years.
The second Test, which will be played in the day-night format at the Adelaide Oval from December 6 to 10, promises to be an exciting contest. Ponting spoke about Kohli’s performance, stating, “In the first innings, he was too focused on countering the opposition bowlers and deviated from his natural style. But in the second innings, he found his rhythm again and scored a hundred.”
With four Tests remaining in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and a spot in the World Test Championship final up for grabs, Ponting also had a message for Australia’s top order. “Now it’s over to Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, and the other Australian batters to find their form and score some runs,” he said.
India’s dominant victory in the first Test, with Kohli’s knock playing a key role, set the tone for the series. Kohli’s ability to perform under pressure once again proved invaluable to India’s success, boosting the team’s morale and confidence ahead of the remaining Tests.
In the first innings of the opening Test, India only managed 150 runs, with Nitish Kumar Reddy (41 off 59 balls) and Rishabh Pant (37 off 78 balls) adding a crucial 48-run partnership for the sixth wicket. Josh Hazlewood (4/29) was Australia’s standout bowler, supported by Pat Cummins, Mitchell Marsh, and Mitchell Starc, who each claimed two wickets.
Australia’s response was disappointing, collapsing to 79/9 before Mitchell Starc (26) and Alex Carey (21) added 25 runs for the final wicket, taking Australia to 104, and giving India a 46-run first-innings lead. Jasprit Bumrah (5/30) and debutant Harshit Rana (3/48) were the chief architects of Australia’s collapse.
India then dominated the second innings, with KL Rahul (77 off 176 balls) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (161 off 297 balls) putting on a 201-run opening stand. Kohli’s unbeaten 100 (143 balls) was supported by Washington Sundar (29 off 94 balls) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (38* off 27 balls), as India declared at 487/6, setting Australia a daunting target of 534.
Nathan Lyon (2/96) was Australia’s most successful bowler in the second innings, with Cummins, Starc, and Hazlewood taking one wicket each.
At stumps on Day 3, Australia were struggling at 12/3, with Bumrah claiming two wickets and Mohammed Siraj one. On Day 4, Travis Head (89 off 101 balls) and Mitchell Marsh (47 off 67 balls) fought hard, but Australia were bowled out for 238, giving India a dominant 295-run victory.
Bumrah (3/42) and Siraj (3/51) were the key bowlers in Australia’s second innings, while Washington Sundar contributed with two wickets. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana also picked up one wicket each. Stand-in captain Bumrah was named ‘Player of the Match’ for his outstanding performance, taking eight wickets in the game.