Legendary Australia batsman Allan Border refused to give the bragging rights to Australia despite the hosts reducing India to 233 for six at the end of day 1 of the day-night Test in Adelaide.
Australia struck twice with the second new ball after Virat Kohli’s run out to swing the momentum towards them but Border believes the match is very even as runs on the board will always be crucial in a pink ball Test match.
“Lot of people are saying that Australia have their noses in front but I disagree. Runs on the board are always crucial like I have always said,” Border said in the pre-match show on Sony Sports Network.
India vs Australia first Test Day 2 live score
Australia’s first-ever World Cup-winning captain said the match fifty-fifty and if India can somehow get close to 300 then it will set the Test match up brilliantly as he expects the pitch to quicken up and the nicks to carry.
“If India kick on and get 300 on the board it’ll be a good score with the conditions the way they are and the pitch should quicken up as the Test progresses. So I’d say it’s fifty-fifty, very much evensteven at the moment,” added Border.
{{/usCountry}}“If India kick on and get 300 on the board it’ll be a good score with the conditions the way they are and the pitch should quicken up as the Test progresses. So I’d say it’s fifty-fifty, very much evensteven at the moment,” added Border.
{{/usCountry}}India, however could not live up to Border’s expectations as they were bowled out for 244, losing four wickets for only 11 runs in the first session of Day 2 in Adelaide.
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India captain Virat Kohli forged two half-century partnerships to rescue his side against Australia before falling victim to an almighty mix-up on an attritional opening day of the day-night first Test.
The right-hander sacrificed flair for efficiency in his industrious 74 as the tourists reached 233-6 at stumps after opting to bat in the series opener.
Wriddhiman Saha, on nine, and Ravichandran Ashwin, who is 15 not out, will return on Friday hoping to continue India’s march towards the 300-mark.
Earlier, Mitchell Starc removed the scoreless Prithvi Shaw with the second delivery of the day and Pat Cummins castled fellow opener Mayank Agarwal (17) later in the opening session to give Australia a strong start to the four-match series.