Smith falls cheaply as India rock Australia in Adelaide

Adelaide - With one run from 29 deliveries, it was Smith's lowest score since he got a duck against South Africa in 2016

India rebounded after a disappointing start to the second day of the day-night first Test on Friday, removing Steve Smith for his lowest score in four years and reducing Australia to 92 for five at the end of the second session.

Australia had started a sunny day at Adelaide Oval in full pomp with Mitchell Starc taking 4-53 as the hosts skittled the last four Indian batsmen at a cost of 11 runs in 25 balls to dismiss the tourists for 244 in less than half an hour.

Paceman Jasprit Bumrah removed Australia openers Joe Burns and Matthew Wade for eight runs apiece in quick succession before tea, however, and Ravichandran Ashwin (3-27) drove home the advantage after the break.

Off-spinner Ashwin has struggled on his previous trips Down Under but soon after Smith had survived a runout scare he sent down a delivery which clipped the former Australia skipper’s bat and gave Ajinkya Rahane an easy catch at first slip.

With one run from 29 deliveries, it was Smith’s lowest score since he got a duck in the first Test against South Africa in November 2016.

Travis Head was the next Australian to depart, caught and bowled for seven, before Cameron Green became Ashwin’s third victim — helped by a fine catch from Virat Kohli at midwicket — after scoring 11 in his first Test innings.

India would have been in an even stronger position had Bumrah and Prithvi Shaw followed their captain’s lead but they dropped easy catches which would have dismissed Marnus Labuschagne when the Australian was on 12 and 21.

Labuschagne survived another scare just before the break when he was given out caught behind off Mohammed Shami only for the decision to be overturned on review.

The 26-year-old rode his luck and will resume on 46 alongside his captain Tim Paine (9) looking to cut further into India’s lead of 152 under the lights in the evening session.