The Adelaide Test of the BGT 2024-25 delivered thrilling action with four standout moments. Key performances included a dominant century, a game-changing spell of bowling, and strategic captaincy under pressure. Controversial umpiring decisions and a dramatic final session added to the excitement, leaving fans eagerly anticipating the next chapter in this fiercely contested series.
Australia Levels BGT 2024-25 with Dominant Adelaide Test Victory
The hosts showcased a clinical performance, excelling in all three departments to maintain their unbeaten record in day-night Tests at the Adelaide Oval. In contrast, India, who had secured a resounding victory in Perth, faltered in Adelaide, effectively losing the contest in the opening session of Day 3.
With the series finely balanced, all eyes now turn to the iconic Gabba, where the third Test is set to begin on December 14. Before the action resumes, here are the top four biggest talking points from the Adelaide Test.
BGT 2024-25: Four biggest talking points from the Adelaide test
4. Mitchell Starc continues his dream run with the pink ball
Mitchell Starc continued his dream run with the pink ball, taking eight wickets in the Adelaide test. Starc’s six-wicket haul in the first innings was crucial in halting India to a below-par total of 180 runs on Day 1. Starc now boasts an impressive record of 74 wickets in 25 innings with the pink ball, maintaining a terrific bowling average of 18 in day-night tests
3. Travis Head continues to haunt India
Travis Head’s 140 off 141 balls was instrumental in putting Australia in the driver’s seat in the game. His aggressive batting not only helped Australia take a 157-run lead in the first innings in, but also it instilled more worry in the Indian bowlers’ minds for the upcoming games.
Head has previously played a couple of match-winning knocks against India in big stages – the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final and the ICC Cricket World Cup (CWC) final in 2023.
2. Rohit’s baffling captaincy
Rohit’s captaincy was a major focus point of the game for the Indians. Despite Head’s free-flowing batting against the full and good-length deliveries, the Indian captain did not exploit his weakness against the short deliveries.
Another puzzling decision from Rohit came in the first session of day 2 when he just gave four overs to Jasprit Bumrah. Rohit’s defensive captaincy has resulted in heavy criticism from the critics.
1. Verbal war between Travis Head and Mohammed Siraj
Apart from the cricketing action, the verbal spat between Travis Head and Mohammed Siraj became a major talking point of the Adelaide test.
Travis Head unleashed an aggressive counterattack on Indian bowlers on day 2. The southpaw smashed Mohammed Siraj for a four and a six in the over before getting clean bowled by the speedster.
The overjoyed India seamer aggressively celebrated Head’s wicket and this led to a heated exchange between the two premium players. Both have now made peace and were seen embracing each other at the end of the match.