India vs Australia Highlights, 2nd Test, Day 1, Border Gavaskar Trophy: Labuschagne, McSweeney take Australia to 86/1 at stumps

Ricky Ponting and Harbhajan Singh carry the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to the centre as we get the anthems underway. First the anthem of the home team followed by that of India.

R Ashwin has a stellar record at Adelaide Oval. He is the Indian spinner with most wickets at this venue. He is also on the verge of a milestone - needs 14 wickets to reach 550 Test wicket mark

Regular captain Rohit Sharma returns to lead the team in the second Test but will drop down to "somewhere in the middle order" to retain the in-form opening combo of Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul, who headlined India's stellar win in the first Test in Perth.

Rohit, who will be playing in the middle order for the first time since 2019, will play out of position so the team doesn't feel unsettled by his return.

"How I came to that decision of batting down the order is because we want results, we want success," he said. "Those two guys at the top, just looking at this one Test match, they batted beautifully. I was at home with my newborn in my arms and I was watching how KL batted. It was brilliant to watch. I felt there was no need to change that now."

While Yashasvi Jaiswal's place was never in doubt after his 161 in the second innings in Perth, it was Rahul's 176-ball 77 in the second innings and a 74-ball vigil in India's dramatic 150-run collapse in the first that tilted the scales in his favour.

Rohit subsequently batted in the middle order in the warm-up game in Canberra to drop a hint about the team's refreshed plans for Adelaide.

"Maybe in the future things will be different," said Rohit, "Based on what has happened and what KL has shown outside of India, he probably deserves that place at this point of time. It was pretty simple for me. Personally, it was not easy. But for the team, yes, it made a lot of sense."

India vs Australia at Adelaide Oval

Sunny and pleasant

Temp: 26 degrees

Cloud cover: 5 %

Humidity: 68 %

The River Torrence, or Karrawirra Pari, is the tranquil heart of this city, cutting right through the central business district and lending the Adelaide Oval its distinctive, soulful charm. This week, the calm exterior has offered no hint of the siege within.

For three days now, India and Australia have dug deep and trained relentlessly - either through the long afternoons or deep into the evening - for the day-night Test, a capricious twist to cricket's traditional format which can hold the key to this five-game series.

Played with a pink ball which can acquire a mind of its own when new, or when the sun sets and artificial lights come on, the challenge for both teams is enormous. How does one prepare for the unpredictable? How does one plan for fluctuating conditions, especially with a thunderstorm predicted on the opening day? In keeping with the dichotomy, it was an unbearably hot - 37 degrees Celsius - here on match eve with no hint of any rain in the air.

Nothing about this Test is as it seems. Australia should be happy to be here. They have won all seven such contests played here and even bulldozed India for their lowest Test total in 2020. They have more experience of taming the conditions.

Yet, their players all wear furrowed brows and downcast looks as they scurry about the nets. Even before a ball is bowled, Australia resembles a team reeling from the curses of an irate public after the 295-run defeat in Perth. There are divisions in the team, say the mischievous ones. They are un-Australian, say others. They refuse to accept their best days are behind them, say the pundits. Where's the courage under fire, lament the fans. The only ones having a field day here are the tabloids with their screaming headlines.

India, another team in transition, are 1-0 up and have the one thing Australia lack - a bunch of talented youngsters with a stomach for the fight. Yet, India too are wary. Australia are not one to be underestimated. Not now, not here. India are on their guard. No strangers to facing public wrath, perhaps they can empathize with Pat Cummins' men? Perhaps, but not this time. The two teams have a history of friction spiralling out of control. Neither will concede an inch.

Australia's Travis Head has dismissed Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar's remarks about Josh Hazlewood's side strain injury, calling them “pretty funny” and suggesting they were an attempt to stir controversy after Australia's heavy defeat in the first Test against India in Perth.

Hazlewood was ruled out of the second Test in Adelaide due to a side strain, but Gavaskar questioned the injury's timing in his column, hinting that the fast bowler might have been dropped for comments critical of the Australian batters during a media conference.

Gavaskar labeled the development "strange" and "a mystery," drawing parallels to controversies from Indian cricket's past.

Speaking on the Willow Talk podcast, Head downplayed the comments. "I was surprised at Sunny's comments. They were pretty funny," he said.

"He's in the entertainment business as a few teams around the world would say. He's in the commentary team. If that makes it more fun for him, then go for it."

Head brushed off the suggestion of any internal divide in the Australian team, adding, "Dropping 'Hoff' (Hazlewood) and throwing a couple of daggers and shooting across the bow, but who cares? It is what it is. Everyone is paid to have an opinion."

Last five completed matches:

Australia LWWLW

India WLLLW

As India and Australia are set to clash in the day-night Test in Adelaide from December 6, the pink cricket ball is back in the news. The pink ball is a variation of the traditional ball and is used for day-night Test matches only. It was introduced to enhance visibility under artificial lights as the red ball used in standard Tests is difficult to see at night.

The pink ball is highly visible under floodlights and it is made from the same leather as red or white balls but uses a dyed pink on top. The leather, however, is treated differently to retain its shine for longer periods.

The ball has an extra layer of lacquer compared to red balls, which helps maintain the shine and visibility. The core is similar to that of red balls, but the seam is often dyed black or green to create a contrasting effect and improve the visibility factor.

It is designed to stay durable on grassy pitches and under lights, unlike the white ball, which can lose visibility and wear out faster. The extra lacquer can cause the ball to swing more, especially under lights and it sometimes behaves differently compared to red or white balls, and some spinners find it harder to grip due to the lacquered surface.

While it improves visibility for spectators, some players have reported difficulty seeing the ball under certain conditions.

The first official day-night Test match with a pink ball was played in November 2015 between Australia and New Zealand at the Adelaide Oval.

Since then, it has become a feature of day-night Tests worldwide, including matches played by India, England, and other top cricketing nations.

Difference between pink cricket ball and red cricket ball:

The pink cricket ball and the red cricket ball are primarily differentiated by their purpose, design, and behaviour.

Swing: Pink balls swing more under lights because of the lacquer, which makes them challenging for batters in evening sessions - popularly called the twilight period.

Spin: Spinners find it tougher to grip pink balls due to the smoother surface, while red balls offer more grip.

Ball Tracking: Umpires and players often find it easier to track pink balls under artificial lights than red ones.

Washington Sundar received an opportunity to play under Jasprit Bumrah's captaincy in the Perth Test, while veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja were not selected.

Rohit Sharma, who missed the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy due to the birth of his child, has now returned to Australia. Prepared to captain the team in the second Test, a day-night pink-ball match in Adelaide, he reaffirmed the importance of Ashwin and Jadeja to the five-Test series.

"Unfortunately, I wasn't there to break the news to them that they wouldn't be playing that first game," he said.

Rohit acknowledged the difficulty of leaving out experienced players like Ashwin and Jadeja but emphasised that the decision was made in the team’s best interests.

"It's always hard to leave experienced players like them out."

He explained that similar decisions would likely continue throughout the series, underscoring the significant contributions of Ashwin and Jadeja.

"But I think the decision was made for what was best for the team at that particular time ... and that is, I think, what we will look to do throughout the series."

Rohit highlighted the immense value both players bring to the team, praising their quality and experience.

"But I certainly see them playing a huge role in the rest of the series because what they bring to the table can never be written off. They are quality players."

R. Ashwin has taken 39 wickets in 18 innings in Australia and has scored 384 runs with two half-centuries on Australian soil. Jadeja, on the other hand, has taken 14 wickets in six innings in Australia and has scored 175 runs in five innings, including two crucial half-centuries.

Overall, Jadeja has taken 319 wickets in Test cricket, while Ashwin has claimed 536 wickets.

With noses bloodied and pride stung from the pounding in Perth, Australia will look to hit back with the pink ball in the second Test against India at Adelaide Oval as the tourists welcome back returning skipper Rohit Sharma.

Australia have had plenty to ponder since their 295-run capitulation in the series-opener, which has been chewed over relentlessly by media and fans.

Few in the home team dressing room have been spared criticism, with preparations, selections and tactics all put under the microscope.

A side injury to frontline paceman Josh Hazlewood -- the best of Australia's quicks in Perth -- has added to the angst and means the hosts will have at least one change to the lineup.

For all that, the players are adamant no one is hitting the panic button just yet.

After all, Adelaide Oval has been a fortress for Australia with a succession of touring teams failing to adapt to the bright lights and swinging pink ball.

The pioneers of day-night Test cricket, Australia have never lost a pink ball match at a venue where they blasted India's batsmen out for 36 in the last home series in 2020-21.

Indian captain Rohit Sharma has expressed confidence in the emerging generation of cricketers, highlighting the winning mentality of players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, and Shubman Gill. He emphasised a significant shift in mindset among these younger players, who focus on winning matches rather than merely figuring out how to score runs in Australia, unlike the previous generation of players.

"Jaiswal, Pant, and Gill are players of a different generation. When we came to Australia for the first time, we used to think about how to score. We used to add pressure on us but these guys only think about winning matches. Their primary focus is on winning games," he said ahead of the second Test on Thursday.

The captain's remarks reflect a positive evolution in the team's approach, underlining the younger generation's determination and fearless outlook.

Sharma’s comments came ahead of the second Test, a day-night pink-ball match in Adelaide. He observed the distinct mindset of the newer players compared to earlier generations.

Yashasvi Jaiswal’s fearless batting was on full display during the second innings of the Perth Test, where he scored 161 runs. He also engaged in on-field banter with seasoned Australian bowlers such as Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon. Jaiswal's aggressive style and confidence were evident throughout his innings.

Rishabh Pant’s contribution in the first innings was also commendable. He scored 37 runs on a challenging pitch, adopting an attacking approach that helped stabilise the Indian innings. Pant’s innings provided crucial momentum at a time when the team was under pressure.

As the Border-Gavaskar Trophy progresses, anticipation is mounting for the second Test in Adelaide, a much-anticipated Pink Ball encounter. Former Indian cricket legend and head coach Rahul Dravid spoke exclusively with Star Sports, recalling his iconic partnership with VVS Laxman during the 2003-04 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Adelaide.

Reflecting on the 2003 Test, Dravid recounted the formidable challenge posed by Australia, who had amassed 556 runs in just 1.5 days. Dravid had walked in at 85-4, joining Laxman at the crease under immense pressure.

Dravid shared, "I was thinking, 'I've got the captain run out. I better do something meaningful.' It was totally my mistake getting Saurav (Ganguly) run out. I will own up to that one—it was my mistake. But I think you're just trying to bat, you're just trying to build a partnership, you're just trying to get to the target. 556 is a huge score. You're just trying to stitch together a partnership; we've lost four wickets, and you're just trying to think about getting close and batting together."

Together, Dravid and Laxman crafted a crucial 303-run partnership, rescuing India from the precarious 85/4 position. In response to Australia’s towering 556, India posted 523, led by Dravid’s 233 and Laxman’s 148.

Dravid highlighted the unique camaraderie he shared with Laxman.

"The thing with Laxman and me is that we had batted together a couple of really big partnerships before that. We did it once in Kolkata in 2001 and even in a domestic game when we first played South Zone against West Zone—we had a really big partnership. So we had kind of batted a lot together and built this partnership. Not that we were thinking about that when we got out there, but I think the idea was really just to bat and try and build partnerships, stitch something together," he said.

As their partnership flourished, Dravid observed how conditions began to favor them.

"As the partnership grew, the wicket was a pretty good one to bat on, the ball got a bit softer, and runs started flowing a lot easier. It's always nice batting with Laxman as well, right? Because he's just a beautiful player to watch and such a lovely player. He really attacked back, which, in some ways, complemented me quite well in how we went about our innings," he added.

India went on to secure a historic four-wicket victory, with Dravid anchoring the second innings with an unbeaten 72 as they chased down 230.

As the current Indian team gears up for another pivotal Test in Adelaide, Dravid's reflections serve as a timeless reminder of the resilience and determination needed to succeed in demanding conditions.