Indian opener Prithvi Shaw was bowled by Mitchell Starc in the first over of the first session of the first Test between India and Australia on Thursday at the Adelaide Oval.
Shaw, playing a Test match in Australia for the first time, was out for a second-ball duck. The Australian pacer is the leading wicket-taker in pink-ball matches and showed why he is such a lethal option up front as he got the ball to shape back in ever so slightly and exposed the flaw in Shaw’s technique.
Watch: 42 wickets that show how dangerous Mitchell Starc can be with the pink ball
With the second ball of the Test! #OhWhatAFeeling@Toyota_Aus | #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/4VA6RqpZWt
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 17, 2020
And Shaw’s coach at Delhi Capitals, Ricky Ponting, was on point during his commentary. Just as Starc ran in to bowl, Ponting knew what was coming.
"If he does have a chink in his armour it's the ball which does come back into him...
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 17, 2020
"Quite often leaves a big gap between bat and pad and that's where the Aussies will target." @RickyPonting at his peerless best for the Prithvi Shaw wicket #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/4nh67zBcpU
India had announced their team on Wednesday, opting for Shaw to partner Mayank Agarwal at the top of the order in preference to Shubman Gill, with Rohit Sharma facing fitness issues after an injury sustained during IPL.
Already under pressure, this second-ball duck is going to make things trickier for Shaw.
India captain Virat Kohli won the toss and elected to bat in the opening day-night Test against Australia in Adelaide on Thursday.
The Indians won their first series in Australia in 2018-19, including victory at the Adelaide Oval, and the hosts are gunning for payback.