Marnus Labuschagne broke out of a lengthy slump as Virat Kohli and Mohammed Siraj both lost their cool at different points under the hot Adelaide sun on day two of the second Test.
Here are the quick hits from day two.
1. More Smith woes
When it’s not happening for you, it’s not happening for you.
And at the moment, it’s not happening for Steven Smith.
After recording a duck in the first innings and just 17 in the second in Perth, Smith was under pressure.
An 11-ball stay for just two runs in Adelaide won’t have done much to calm the chatter surrounding Australia’s pre-eminent batter of the 21st century.
Steve Smith was dismissed for just two after being strangled down the leg side off Jasprit Bumrah. (Getty Images: Robert Cianflone)
Even the way he got out, feathering a Bumrah loosener down the leg side was a sloppy and unimpressive way to get out, symptomatic of his torrid run of form.
It’s now been 24 innings since Smith last scored three figures in a Test match.
Since the last one, at Lord’s in the 2023 Ashes, he’s scored just three fifties.
Indeed, Smith has not scored a Test ton in Australia for the best part of two years, since January 2023.
2. Fifty for Marnus
As much pressure as Steve Smith has been under, Marnus Labuschagne has been feeling it just as much.
Late on day one, Marnus needed to use all of his wiles to survive a brutal barrage that came at him from all corners of the ground, be it via the arm of Jasprit Bumrah or the mouth of Virat Kohli.
As he dodged those barbs, the Queenslander was frantically scratching around to discover his form, bringing out all his usual idiosyncrasies in an attempt to shock himself back into his old self.
Marnus Labuschagne scored a much-needed half-century before he was dismissed for 64. (Getty Images: Robert Cianflone)
And then, under the bright sunshine of day two, he rediscovered his drive.
Suddenly, Labuschagne looked back to his best, driving either side of the wicket and building an impressive-looking innings before being brilliantly caught by Jaiswal at third slip.
His 64 was just the second score he’s made in double figures in his last 10 Test innings.
3. Virat has a word
Virat Kohli was getting plenty of advice from the crowd. (Getty Images: Paul Kane)
There are fewer more combustible characters that have visited these shores than Virat Kohli.
A constant thorn in Australia’s side, Kohli is the man Australian supporters love to hate.
So when he’s fielding on the boundary, it goes without saying that he’d be subject to the same kind of unwelcome advice that he so often proffers to batters in the middle.
Turns out though, Virat didn’t like it too much.
When Labuschagne was dismissed, he made sure that the section of support that had been chirping at him knew he’d heard, holding his fingers to his lips.
Kohli normally backs up his theatrics with the bat, so he’d probably have wanted to score more than 11 later in the day…
4. Mitch Marsh seals his own fate
Ravichandran Ashwin appealed, and Mitch Marsh started to walk. (Getty Images: Paul Kane)
Mitch Marsh was batting on nine in the middle session when he played inside a straight one from Ravichandran Ashwin.
Ashwin let out a half-hearted appeal and had given up hope of it being given out when umpire Richard Illingworth raised his finger.
As India appealed for the caught behind call, Marsh took two steps towards the dressing room prior to Illingworth’s decision and then paused for the umpire’s call before continuing his walk.
Moments later, replays showed that Marsh had indeed missed the ball and hit his pad with his bat instead.
The snicko replay showed no spike and a clear gap between bat and ball. (Supplied: Network Seven)
“Ashwin was actually going to Rishabh (Pant) and asking, ‘Why did you appeal?’,” said Ravi Shastri on commentary.
“Mitch Marsh was convinced he hit it, otherwise he would’ve have stood there.”
The dismissal proved to be a massive stroke of luck for India, who found themselves behind the eight ball early on day two.
Travis Head, who was at the non-striker’s end when Marsh walked, seemed convinced that his partner had not hit the ball, and was shown gesturing just that to the umpire moments after.
Just a bizarre, bizarre dismissal.
5. Fielding woes cost India dearly
Travis Head has consistently been a thorn in India’s side and proved to be once again on day two.
Head, on 76 at the time, had just pumped Ashwin down the ground for one of the straightest sixes you’ll ever see when he attempted another big one.
This time Head only succeeded in top edging a slog sweep to the deep mid on region, where Mohammed Siraj was situated.
Siraj ran back with the flight of the ball and got himself in a decent position to catch the ball before spilling it.
Mohammed Siraj dropped Travis Head when he was on 76. (Getty Images: Cricket Australia/Mark Brake)
“He just never, ever looked likely at any stage to be honest,” Mark Waugh said on Fox Cricket’s coverage.
“Early on in the shot, he was running around in a circle.”
To make matters worse for India, Head offered up another chance the next over that was also missed.
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma had placed himself into second slip, leaving first slip open, and Head nicked an attempted swat off Harshit Rana through the vacant region for another boundary.
The ball appeared to be close enough for wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant to dive at it, but Pant bizarrely just watched the ball fly past him.
6. Bumrah pulls up lame
Jasprit Bumrah had some pickle juice and was able to continue. (Getty Images: Robert Cianflone)
In the 81st over, the first with the second new ball, Bumrah’s 20th of the match, the moment most Indian supporters had feared came to fruition.
Bumrah went down after bowling the third ball, needing treatment for what appeared to be a groin injury.
At that stage, Bumrah had taken 11 wickets at an average of 11.36.
The rest of India’s bowlers, combined, had taken 15 at 33.27.
Needless to say, India need their talisman fit.
And, fortunately for the Indian supporters, he was able to finish his over and came in next over too.
7. Siraj shows his colours
It takes a certain type of person to give a player who has scored 140 runs a send off, particularly having dropped him earlier in his innings.
But Mohammed Siraj is most definitely that type of person.
Having dropped him on 76, Siraj finally bowled Head with a lovely yorker 64 runs later, and celebrated by marching down the pitch to gave the hometown hero a big verbal barrage as he walked off.
That got shown on the big screen, as indeed did Head’s fiery — and unrepeatable — response.
“Don’t think we can repeat that one,” David Warner said on Fox Sport’s commentary.
Mohammed Siraj, right, gave Travis Head a serious send off after bowling him. (AP Photo: James Elsby)
That fired the capacity Adelaide Oval crowd up nicely and likely condemned Siraj to an unpleasant welcome anywhere else he plays on this tour.
However, on ABC Radio, Stuart Clark said Siraj might have a bigger issue.
“I dare say Mohammed Siraj is in a little bit of trouble for what appears to be giving Travis Head an old-fashioned send-off,” Clarke said.
“Arms waving. Oh no, you can’t do that. I don’t know what the rules are. I’m pretty sure he can’t do that anymore.”
The umpires did call Siraj to them while waiting for Mitch Starc to come out to bat.
And then, to the delight of the crowd, Starc carved him through the covers for four first ball.
“I said well bowled but he thought otherwise … when he pointed me to the sheds he got a little bite back from me,” Head told Fox Sports after the day’s play.
“I’m slightly disappointed with how that transpired, with a couple of the past innings”
“It is what it is. If they want to react like that and that’s how they want to represent themselves, then so be it.”
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