Nathan McSweeney received a call-up just before the 2024–25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Together with Usman Khawaja, the youthful batter was given the important opening spot. In the first and second innings of his Perth Test debut, he scored 10 and a duck, respectively. However, the batter established a combination with Marnus Labuschagne and appeared to be in good form on Day 1 in Adelaide.
Jasprit Bumrah was spewing fire with the ball from the other side. The pink ball simply whiffed around the outside edge to reach wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant after he bowled an unplayable delivery to the right-handed batter.
Virat Kohli rushed to put additional pressure on the 25-year-old as the small gap rescued McSweeney, and other players gathered around the Queensland batsman as well.
“He has no idea! Jass (Jasprit Bumrah) has no idea.” Kohli said.
Here’s the video of the incident:
Always in the game, always in the ear! 😁👑🗣
ICYMI 👉🏻@imVkohli’s stump mic gold from the ongoing #PinkBallTest! 🔥#AUSvINDOnStar 2nd Test 👉 LIVE NOW on Star Sports! #AUSvIND | #ToughestRivalry pic.twitter.com/9zuqd3hdAb
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) December 6, 2024
Game by game, nothing really changes: Mitchell Starc
For the Indian team, the first day was a messy mess. Mitchell Starc was devastating with a six-fer as they were bowled out for just 180 runs. In exchange, Australia trailed by 94 runs after losing Usman Khawaja and scoring 86 runs. Starc acknowledged that he had a cramp at the end of the first innings after reflecting over his decision to dismiss India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal on the opening ball of the game.
“I’m not sure.” I am unable to tell. We didn’t play all that poorly, but they outperformed us in Perth, and it seems like the ball has been coming out nicely. [If he pictured himself swinging the first ball to Jaiswal] Very little, to be honest. Game by game, nothing really changes; it was a good beginning. [Relating to the weather] didn’t assist the engine at all, and it ended up feeling a little constricted,” Starc remarked.
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