ADELAIDE: Australian pacers controlled the first session on the first day of the pink-ball Test against India, conceding only 41 runs and taking two wickets at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday.
Electing to bat, India didn’t have a great start as opener Prithvi Shaw, who has been picked in the playing XI despite his recent poor form, got out on the second delivery of the first over bowled by left-arm quick Mitchell Starc for a golden duck. Starc’s swinging delivery got the inside edge of Shaw’s bat and hit the stumps.
India’s batting mainstay Cheteshwar Pujara and Mayank Agarwal then tried to stead the ship and made sure the visitors didn’t lose any further wickets in the initial overs. Both played cautiously and scored runs slowly as the Australia pacers bowled on tight lines an lengths.
It was in the 19th over of the innings that Pat Cummins got the second breakthrough for the hosts as Agarwal got undone by a brilliant inswinging delivery from the premier Australian pacer. Agarwal scored 17 runs with the help of two fours in the 40 deliveries he faced during his stay at the crease.
Skipper Virat Kohli, who came in next, then used all his experience and alongside Pujara took the team to the dinner break without any further hiccups.
At dinner break, India were 41/2, with Pujara batting on 17 while Kohli remained unbeaten on 5 from 22 deliveries.
Brief scores: India 41/2 (Cheteshwar Pujara 17*, Mayank Agarwal 17; Pat Cummins 1/3)
IANS