Australia’s pace ace Mitchell Starc delivered a career-best performance in Test cricket, dismantling India’s batting lineup with a sensational six-wicket haul on Day 1 of the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 at the Adelaide Oval. His spell of 6/48 in 14.1 overs, including two maidens, reaffirmed his mastery of the pink-ball format and gave Australia a strong foothold in the match.
Starc’s fiery bowling began with a wicket off the very first ball of the match, dismissing Yashasvi Jaiswal lbw for a golden duck. He continued his rampage through the Indian batting order, claiming the scalps of KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin, Harshit Rana, and India’s top scorer Nitish Kumar Reddy (42).
This performance marked Starc’s maiden five-wicket haul against India and his fourth in pink-ball Tests—a feat unmatched by any other bowler. Notably, he also equaled the record of West Indies’ Pedro Collins for dismissing batters on the first ball of a Test match three times, a milestone shared with legends like Richard Hadlee, Geoff Arnold, Kapil Dev, and Suranga Lakmal.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, India looked promising early on with a 69-run partnership between Shubman Gill (31) and KL Rahul (37). However, Starc’s relentless pace and accuracy triggered a collapse, reducing India from 69/1 to 87/5 in just eight overs.
Nitish Kumar Reddy’s aggressive 42 offered a glimmer of hope, but India’s innings ended at 180 as Starc and the Australian pacers dominated the proceedings.
In reply, Australia’s opening pair started cautiously under the lights. Though Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Usman Khawaja for 13, Nathan McSweeney (38*) and Marnus Labuschagne (20*) steadied the innings with an unbeaten 62-run partnership. By stumps, Australia had reached 86/1, trailing India by just 94 runs and in a commanding position.
Mitchell Starc explains “Simple Plan” for dismissing Jaiswal
Reflecting on his dismissal of Jaiswal, Starc downplayed any intricate planning, saying, “At the stumps, hit the pads. That’s it. Nothing special.” He added, “That’s been my role for a while: to attack the stumps and make early inroads. It’s always a nice way to start, especially in a big Test match and series.”
Jaiswal’s wicket came after the young batter had previously taunted Starc in Perth, calling his deliveries “too slow.” Starc’s perfect inswinger on the very first ball silenced any doubts about his pace and skill, setting the stage for an exceptional display of bowling.
Starc’s fiery bowling rattled India, reducing them to 180 all out. However, his spell faced a brief challenge from Nitish Kumar Reddy, who counter-attacked with aggressive stroke play, scoring 42 before falling to Starc. The pacer praised the new generation of fearless batters, saying, “The game has changed. Some of these guys come through IPL cricket with no fear. Whether it’s Jaiswal last week or Reddy today, they are quality players from the start.”
Mitchell Starc’s Pink Ball Mastery Leaves Hayden and ten Doeschate in Awe
Mitchell Starc exploits have earned praise from former Australian opener Matthew Hayden and India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate, both of whom highlighted the unique skills that make Starc a “magician” with the pink ball.
Speaking on Star Sports, Matthew Hayden expressed his admiration for Starc’s ability to maintain swing deep into the innings. “I’ve never really seen the pink ball swing so aggressively in the 40th over. He used a really important word—momentum. Starc wrestled it back for Australia when India seemed to have the upper hand. He’s just a magician with the pink ball,” Hayden remarked.
India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate also lauded Starc’s skill, calling Ashwin’s dismissal the perfect example of why the Australian pacer excels with the pink ball. “When batters are forced to guess on both sides of the wicket, it makes a bowler far more effective. Starc’s ability to swing the ball both ways and his consistency with line and length were superb today,” ten Doeschate explained.
He added, “Starc takes a lot of confidence from the pink ball, and he’s arguably the best exponent of swing bowling among both teams.”