On Mitchell Starc’s dismissal of Indian veteran, Australian Great’s ‘Ball of the Century’ verdict

Australian pacer Mitchell Starc was at his best during India’s first innings in the ongoing second Test in Adelaide. Starc recorded his career-best figures of 6/48 as Australia bowled out India for 180 after the visitors elected to bat. According to former Australian batter Mark Waugh, Starc bowled the “ball of the century” by dismissing Ravichandran Ashwin. The Indian veteran played a handy cameo before Starc trapped him straight in front of the stumps with a sharp delivery in the 39th over.

It was a gem of a delivery from Starc as Ashwin’s entertaining cameo of 22 came to an end. Waugh, who was on commentary duty, reserved blockbuster praise for Starc, speaking on air.

“The ball of the century was almost… it was almost unplayable,” Waugh said on Fox Sports.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan, meanwhile, questioned Ashwin’s decision to take DRS, terming it “It’s one of the best reviews I’ve seen.” “It might be going bankrupt,” Vaughan added.

Travis Head posted a sparkling 140 before Australia demolished top-ranked India to move closer to victory in the second day-night Test on Saturday.

On day two, the visitors were floundering at 128-5, still 29 points behind, after a fiery outburst under the lights at Adelaide Oval from Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Scott Boland.

Rishabh Pant was 28 and Nitish Kumar Reddy 15 as the hosts eye their eighth consecutive pink-ball victory in Adelaide to level the five-Test series after being crushed by 295 runs in Perth.

Australia were bowled out just after tea for 337 after regaining the score at 86-1, Head producing a typically flamboyant knock on his home ground in front of a large crowd.

Batting five over, he scored almost a run from one ball, slamming 17 fours and four sixes, while Marnus Labuschagne scored a 64 to build a first-innings lead of 157.

(With AFP entries)