On the second day of the World Test Championship final at The Oval, Australia’s bowlers delivered an outstanding performance, tearing through the top order of the Indian team.
Displaying the formidable threat that the Australian pace attack poses to England’s aggressive batters in the upcoming Ashes series, India found themselves struggling at 71-4.
Captain Pat Cummins set the tone by dismissing his counterpart, Rohit Sharma. This was followed by sensational deliveries from Scott Boland, Cameron Green, and Mitchell Starc.
Despite the pressure, Ravindra Jadeja and Ajinkya Rahane held on for a while, but Jadeja eventually succumbed, edging Nathan Lyon’s off-spin to slip after scoring 48.
By the end of the day, India closed their innings at 151-5, still trailing the Australians by 318 runs. Australia had earlier been bowled out for 469 in their first innings.
India’s resistance towards the end represented a fightback, as they managed to take the final seven wickets of the Australian team for just 108 runs.
Travis Head contributed a remarkable 163 runs, while Steve Smith scored 121, leading Australia’s innings. Mohammed Siraj played a crucial role in India’s comeback, claiming 4-108.
With their impressive performance, the Australian bowlers have positioned themselves well on the path to becoming world champions.
Australia Sends a Blazing Ashes Warning with Dominant Performance
Australia Sets Sights on World Final Victory and Ashes Triumph on English Soil
With their eyes firmly fixed on winning the World Test Championship final and securing an Ashes victory on English turf after 22 years, Australia has showcased their dominance against India, underscoring the significant threat they pose to England’s formidable batters.
The Ashes series holds intrigue as to whether England’s batsmen can effectively challenge Australia’s bowling attack. Based on the current evidence, it appears to be an immense challenge, and if England manages to overcome it, it would be a remarkable achievement.
Although the Oval pitch exhibits movement and occasional uneven bounce, it still requires skillful exploitation. While India struggled in this regard, Australia has been relentless, ruthless, and fiercely determined.
While it may be unconventional to frame a world final in the context of an upcoming Test series that is over a week away, Australia has already laid a strong foundation to claim the title, further fueling anticipation for the Ashes clash.
Australia’s Pacers Inflict Devastation on India’s Top Order
The damage inflicted by Australia on India’s top order was not only impressive but also executed with exceptional skill and precision.
Pat Cummins struck first, trapping Rohit Sharma lbw with a well-placed delivery. Then, Scott Boland, known for his devastating performances in the Ashes, produced a magnificent delivery that jagged sharply, hitting the middle and off stumps to dismiss Shubman Gill, who offered no shot.
Cameron Green followed suit with a similar delivery, getting Cheteshwar Pujara bowled as he shouldered arms, leaving the Indian fans in the crowd devastated.
The most devastating blow came from Mitchell Starc, who bowled an unplayable delivery to Virat Kohli. The ball spat from a length, flicked Kohli’s thumb, and looped to second slip, leaving the Indian captain helpless.
Despite the onslaught, Ajinkya Rahane and Ravindra Jadeja displayed bravery in their resistance, enduring numerous blows. Rahane had a stroke of luck when he was given out lbw by Cummins on 17, only for replays to show that the bowler had overstepped.
Just when it seemed like India might make it to the close of play without further losses, Nathan Lyon was brought into the attack. In his second over, Lyon induced an edge from Jadeja, leaving Rahane unbeaten on 29, accompanied by wicketkeeper KS Bharat, who remained not out on five.
