In the first over of the Pink-ball match on Friday at Adelaide Oval, Shubman Gill brilliantly counterattacked Mitchell Starc’s early onslaught in the second Test match between Australia and India. As the tourists were making their comeback to the stadium where they collapsed at 36 all-out during the 2020–21 tour, the game was filled with emotion.
The captain, Rohit Sharma, chose to bat first on a dismal afternoon after rejoining the Plying XI. Gill also made a comeback to the starting lineup after missing the first Test because of a broken thumb. Dismissing opener Yashasvi Jaiswal on the first ball of the match was Starc’s outstanding opening burst; it was his third time dismissing a batsman on the first ball of a Test match.
Despite the early wicket, Gill maintained his composure and counterattacked with two consecutive boundaries after demonstrating respect for Starc’s pace and swing in the first two deliveries.
He had previously made a stunning shot to clear the gully and then driven gracefully straight off mid-off. Furthermore, in a recent warm-up match against the Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra, Gill, who had just recovered from an injury, appeared at ease while scoring fifty runs and remaining undefeated.
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What a way to get off the mark! 🤩
Welcome back in the whites, #ShubmanGill! 🙌#AUSvINDOnStar 👉 2nd Test, Day 1, LIVE NOW! | #AUSvIND #ToughestRivalry pic.twitter.com/u2jCkT62jm
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) December 6, 2024
When he hadn’t opened his account earlier in the game, starter KL Rahul was given a lifeline. The right-hander walked back when the on-field umpire signalled out after Scott Boland hit his first ball of the match in the eighth over, giving Rahul the advantage. Rahul continued his innings, though, after the third umpire ruled it a no-ball as he was making his way back to the dressing room.
With Gill batting on 28 of 47 deliveries and having already hit five boundaries, India’s score is 56/1 after 16 overs as of this writing. Rahul is batting at 26 on the other end after taking 50 deliveries.
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