Indian pacer Harshit Rana was left frustrated after the Adelaide Oval witnessed multiple blackouts on Day 1 of the second Test against Australia. The incident happened not once, but twice, during the 18th over of the Australian innings, which was bowled by Harshit. The first time happened after the second ball, before the lights went out again after the 4th over. Harshit was seen waving his hands in frustration as the spotlight went off for the second time. A video of the same went viral on social media.
The lights went out twice in quick succession at Adelaide Oval, but play has resumed. #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/u6Jtd39Utc
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 6, 2024
Meanwhile, commentators joked that Australian spinner Nathan Lyon had turned off the spotlight because he didn't want to be under the lights as a night watchman.
Australia dominated proceedings on Day 1 after bowling out India for 180 following Rohit Sharma's decision to bat first. Mitchell Starc, who gave Australia a dream start by dismissing Yashasvi Jaiswal with the first ball of the match, took 6-48, his best career figures in a Test innings.
Scott Boland and Pat Cummins both took two each. Six wickets were lost in the second session, including Rohit for three and the flamboyant Rishabh Pant for 21.
Pant should have gone for five but Nathan McSweeney spilled a sharp chance into the gully after the dangerous Boland, in injured Josh Hazlewood's side, pulled ahead.
But the 35-year-old seamer got his reward four balls later, beating Rohit's bat to trap him.
A big innings was needed from Pant but he failed to deliver as a wicked climbing ball from Cummins bounced off the shoulder of his bat and into the hands of Marnus Labuschagne.
Brought back for another spell, Starc was once again hostile, taking care of Ravichandran Ashwin (22) and Harshit Rana (0) in the space of four balls.
With India in trouble, Nitish Kumar Reddy decided to take charge, smashing two big sixes in one Boland to reach his highest Test score of 42 before he and Jasprit Bumrah fell to Starc and Cummins respectively.
(With AFP inputs)
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