Day 2 report: Pacers back Head's brilliance to put Australia in the driver's seat

Australia vs India, Second Test, Scorecard

A near-perfect day played out for Australia as they first secured a handy lead, and then made the most of helpful conditions with the pink ball.

Beginning the day on 86/1, Australia survived early blows from Jasprit Bumrah to further their advantage, with Travis Head starring with a spectacular ton. Later in the day, the Australia pacers ran through the India batting to leave the hosts on the brink of a big win.

India were 29 behind at the end of Day 2, with five wickets remaining in their bag.

A look at how the three sessions played out:

Australia seize initiative in the final session

The very first ball after tea saw Mitchell Starc mishit one straight to Harshit Rana at mid-off to give Mohammed Siraj his third of the innings. Soon after, Siraj struck the stumps once again, this time with the wicket of Scott Boland to bundle out the home side for 337.

Four scalps each from Siraj (4-98) and Bumrah (4-61) meant that India began their second innings with 157 runs to catch up on.

The Australian skipper gave his side an early advantage as the extra bounce got the better of KL Rahul, who nicked one to Carey behind. Australia were further boosted, when first change Scott Boland got a wicket off his very first ball, sending the dangerous-looking Yashasvi Jaiswal back.

Gill and Virat Kohli tried to stabilise the innings but just when things looked like settling down for India, Boland added another one to his bag when a length delivery had Virat Kohli caught behind for 11.

Then it was Mitchell Starc's turn to grab the spotlight when his devastating in-swinger went right through the gates of Shubman Gill, leaving India four down. Skipper Rohit Sharma walked in and survived a close call against Starc.

However, Rohit couldn't make the most of it, falling to a beautiful delivery from Cummins.

With the tourists five down in trying conditions, Rishabh Pant and Nitish Reddy threw caution to the wind and played their shots. Their unbeaten partnership at Stumps yielded 23 runs at better than run a ball as India finished the day at 128/5.

Travis Head puts on a masterclass to pile pressure on India in the second session

Ravichandran Ashwin made his mark right after dinner, getting Mitchell Marsh caught behind with a delivery that deceived the batter to grab India's fifth of the innings. Head dodged a bullet in the 69th over as Harshit's delivery glanced the batter's bat and went right between Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant behind.

An eighth Test century soon followed Travis Head, proving his mettle at the Adelaide Oval once again to put Australia in a commanding position.

Brilliant captaincy from Rohit to bring back Mohammed Siraj paid off as the pacer removed Alex Carey for 15 to break the growing partnership with Head on the other end. Head went on the attack when the second new ball came into play.

Siraj came back strong after conceding a four and a six to castle the left-hand batter with a crushing yorker, that saw the end of a blazing 140-run knock. Head's 141-ball stay at the crease included 17 fours and four sixes. Bumrah went on to knock the Australian skipper, Pat Cummins with a ripper that swung into the stumps, leaving Australia at 332/8 at tea.

A fiery session to begin day 2

Jasprit Bumrah got India off to the perfect start on Day 2, having Nathan McSweeney caught behind after a well-fought 39 with a peach of a delivery. Steven Smith's nightmare start to the series continued, courtesy Jasprit Bumrah once again, who sent him back to the dugout for two runs.

Then, Labuschagne showed his class with two straight boundaries off Harshit Rana's as Australia looked to make amends for two quick wickets.

Travis Head packed a punch with a straight six off the returning Ravichandran Ashwin to make his first big mark in the innings. Labuschagne's resilient knock saw him notch up his 21st Test half-century. Australia's biggest over of the innings came off the bowling of Harshit Rana, and saw four boundaries (three from Labuschagne and one from Head) as 17 runs were conceded.

Nitish Reddy worked his magic once more on the second day, this time with the ball, as Labuschagne, on 64, cut one straight to Yashasvi Jaiswal at gully to give India a much-needed breakthrough. Travis Head's brilliance took another high when he reached his 18th Test half-century to strengthen Australia's position.

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A look back at Day 1's play

Mitchell Starc shined with the ball with a rollicking six-wicket haul (6-48), and able support from skipper Pat Cummins (2-41) and Scott Boland (2-54), saw the side from Down Under bowl out the visitors for 180.

Nitish Reddy held his ground towards the end with a commanding 42, following KL Rahul and Shubman Gill's handy knocks at the top.

Despite losing Usman Khawaja early on, Nathan McSweeney (38*)* and Marnus Labuschagne *(*20) forged a 62-run partnership for the second wicket and helped Australia to a secure 86/1 at the end of day's play.