NEW DELHI: Left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc was at his absolute best on Friday as he put India on the mat with a terrific six-wicket haul on the opening day of the second day-night Test between India and Australia in Adelaide on Friday.
A fiery Starc ran through the Indian batting order, dismissing key batters as the visitors struggled against the premier pacer and a moving pink cherry.
The Starc menace began with the first ball of the Pink-Test itself as he sent opener Yashasvi Jaiswal packing for a golden duck.
Producing a corker, Starc trapped Jaiswal plumb in front to give India an early jolt after skipper Rohit Sharma opted to bat.
Then came a solid period for India when the other opener KL Rahul and Shubman Gill steadied the innings with a 69-run second-wicket stand.
But Starc returned late in the first session and put India in serious trouble, removing a well-set Rahul and Virat Kohli for 37 and 7 respectively in successive overs.
The pacer then came back after the Tea break and got rid of R Ashwin and Harshit Rana in the same over as India slumped to 141 for 8 in the second session.
Starc then wrapped up the India innings for 180 all out, dismissing Nitish Reddy for 42 to finish with career-best figures of 14.1-2-48-6.
This is now Starc’s first-ever Test fifer against India in the longest format.
It is now also Starc’s fourth five-for in day-night Tests. Interestingly, no other bowler has more than two fifers in Pink-ball Tests.
