NEW DELHI: Shubman Gill's promising return to the Indian Test side was cut short on the opening day of the pink-ball second Test against Australia at the Adelaide Oval on Friday. Making a comeback after missing the Perth Test due to injury, Gill looked in good touch but fell victim to his nemesis, Scott Boland, as India endured a wobbly first session.
Coming in after Mitchell Starc dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal for a duck on the first ball of the match, Gill and KL Rahul steadied India with a solid 69-run partnership for the second wicket. The pair looked comfortable under the lights until Rahul's dismissal, for 37 runs, triggered a mini-collapse late in the session.
Scorecard: India vs Australia, 2nd Test
Gill, who scored 31 off 51 balls with five boundaries, was trapped leg-before by Boland. With this dismissal, Boland extended his dominance over the Indian batter, having now dismissed him three times in as many innings while conceding just 10 runs in 28 deliveries.
Boland's dominance over Gill
Boland's record against Gill is extraordinary, with the pacer averaging a mere 3.33 against the Indian batter. This makes him the most successful bowler in terms of average against Gill.
The Australian pacer joins a select group of bowlers who have dismissed Gill three or more times in Tests, including:
James Anderson (England): 6 dismissals in 12 innings Pat Cummins (Australia): 3 dismissals in 9 innings Nathan Lyon (Australia): 3 dismissals in 8 innings Ajaz Patel (New Zealand): 3 dismissals in 7 inningsMehidy Hasan Miraz (Bangladesh): 3 dismissals in 5 innings
While Boland's ability to trouble Gill has been remarkable, he also stands out for his impeccable economy and consistency against the Indian batter.
India's struggles in Adelaide
Rahul's dismissal marked the start of a collapse that saw India lose three wickets in just 16 balls. Virat Kohli followed soon after, and Gill’s dismissal left India at 82/4 at the end of the first session.
India were eventually dismissed for 180 in the second session, with Mitchell Starc (6/48) claiming a six-wicket-haul for the hosts. Skipper Pat Cummins (2/41) and Scott Boland (2/54) were among the wickets for Australia.
Nitish Reddy top-scored for India with a quick 42 off 54 balls, which included three sixes and three fours. Ashwin also contributed a run-a-ball 22 late in the innings.
Despite his dismissal, Gill's stroke play and partnership with Rahul provided glimpses of his class, even as the Adelaide surface offered assistance to the Australian bowlers.
