The last time India played a pink-ball Test match in Australia, all hell broke loose. India were bowled out for a mere 36 all out in the second innings and that is their lowest-ever Test score.
The Virat Kohli-led side started the game very well. They scored 244 in the first innings before bowling Australia out for 191. With a 53-run lead, India had a slight upper hand. However, things went down the barrel in the second innings as Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins blew away the visitors. None of the Indian batters could get into double figures as they kept edging behind the stumps more often than not.
Mayank Agarwal was the top scorer with 9. India faced just 21.2 overs before Australia chased down 90 to take a series lead in the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Alex Carey admitted that things happened very quickly in that Adelaide Test. The left-handed wicket-keeper was not a part of the side yet as Tim Paine was the captain and keeper. But Carey acknowledged that they are not expecting something similar this time around.
“There have been amazing days in cricketing history, but we won’t go out there expecting to do it again. We have a process and plan, and we try to execute it regardless of what happens. I wasn’t here for the Test match. But I missed that, it happened too quickly. We are excited, and we take a lot of confidence out of our record in the pink ball Test,” Alex Carey was quoted saying to the reports in Adelaide.
However, India bounced back in dramatic fashion to script a sensational 2-1 series win post that 36 all out. They have done something similar this time around as well. India were whitewashed 0-3 against New Zealand at home and seemed to be on a big low. But they came back with a bang as they beat Australia by 295 runs in the first Test in Perth.
Australia’s good record in pink-ball Tests
Australia have an excellent record in pink-ball Tests. They have 11 wins and just one loss which came against West Indies at the Gabba earlier this year. In Adelaide, they have all seven day-night Tests. Hence, Carey revealed that they are confident but believes India will carry confidence from their Perth win as well.
“I’m not sure. We are confident enough, and I’m sure India are confident from their win in Perth. It will be a great contest,” Carey added.
The Adelaide 2020 Test was India’s only loss in pink-ball Test. They have three wins in as many day-night Tests that they have played (all of them at home).
The second Test in Adelaide which is a pink-ball one starts on the 6th of December.
