Australia was handed a 295-run defeat from India in the first Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25. The Men in Blue became the first visiting team to defeat the Kangaroos at the Optus Stadium, Perth. Moving out from the first match the home side shifted their focus for the forthcoming day and night pink-ball test match at the Adelaide Oval. It is scheduled to take place from the 6th of December.
Previously, when these two sides met the result was in the home team’s favour. They bowled India out for just 36 runs to win the test by 8 wickets back in the 2020/21 edition of the series. However, things changed since then, with Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill joining the side back. Amidst these, the Aussies once again have been backfooted. Josh Hazelwood already has been ruled out with a side strain.
Now, the side had an injury scare during a practice session on December 3 in Adelaide ahead of the pink-ball Test. Their star batter Steve Smith was hit on the thumb while batting in the nets. He removed his gloves and took a look at his thumb before leaving the nets. Smith got some medical attention and returned to practice. Meanwhile, Marnus Labuschagne was hit by a short ball in the nets too.
Adelaide Test in Jeopardy
But the under-fire batter Labuschagne got back up and resumed practice. Steve Smith is the second-highest run-scorer in pink-ball tests. He averages 40 throughout 11 day/night tests. He has 760 runs, including one hundred and five fifties. Only Labuschagne has more runs than him, with 894 in eight pink-ball Tests. He has four centuries, three fifties, and an average of 63.85 in day-night Tests.
If the 35-year-old misses the second match it will be a huge loss for the Kangaroos, as they already lost Hazelwood who has been their best bowler in the previous test, and the pink ball test against India back in the 2020/21 series. However, the Australian team may decide to assess his condition further before the second Test. Smith scored a golden duck in the second innings in Perth, and 17 in the fourth innings.
