December 7, 2024: Travis Head’s golden run against India continued on Day 2 of the second Test at Adelaide Oval, as he smashed an incredible 140 to help Australia surge ahead with a commanding lead of 152 runs at the Tea break on Saturday. By the end of the second session, Australia was 332/8, with Mitchell Starc (18*) at the crease, keeping the pressure on the visitors.
Head’s brilliant knock of 140 was the backbone of Australia’s innings, as he took on India’s bowlers with confidence and composure, further cementing his reputation as one of the standout performers against India. His innings was filled with controlled aggression, and his boundary-strewn knock kept Australia on top.
Starting the second session at 191/4, with Head on 53* and Mitchell Marsh on 2*, Australia’s lead was just 11 runs. The partnership between Head and Marsh had the potential to extend the lead, and the duo took the team past the 200-run mark, with Marsh adding a single off Ashwin in the 61.3 over to reach 200.
Ravichandran Ashwin made an early breakthrough for India in the second session, dismissing Marsh for 9 (26 balls). Marsh was caught behind by Rishabh Pant after the ball appeared to flick his pad, with the snickometer showing a flatline indicating no edge off the bat. Despite the marginal nature of the decision, it went in India’s favor, leaving Australia at 208/5 in 63.4 overs.
With Travis Head still going strong and Mitchell Starc playing an important role in the tail, Australia had pushed their total to 332/8. Their lead over India had grown to 152 runs, leaving India with a challenging task ahead to get back into the match.
As Australia continues to bat, India will need to dig deep to break this partnership and reduce the damage, while Australia will be aiming to add more runs and further strengthen their position. Head’s century has undoubtedly put Australia in the driver’s seat, with a substantial lead heading into the final session of Day 2.
