‘Australia played better than us’, says Rohit After 10-wicket loss

India’s struggles in pink-ball Tests continued as Australia delivered a commanding performance, securing a 10-wicket victory in the second Test at Adelaide to level the series 1-1. Indian skipper Rohit Sharma admitted that Australia outperformed his team and lamented missed opportunities to gain control of the game.

Rohit, speaking at the post-match presentation, expressed his disappointment, stating, “It was a tough week for us. We didn’t play well enough, and Australia played better cricket. There were moments when we could have capitalized, but we failed to seize those opportunities, which cost us the game.”

The match began with India opting to bat first after winning the toss. However, the Indian batting lineup crumbled under the pressure of Mitchell Starc’s fiery spell (6/48), managing only 180 runs. KL Rahul (37), Shubman Gill (31), and Nitish Kumar Reddy (42) were the only batters to show resistance.

Australia’s response was led by a brilliant counter-attacking century from Travis Head, who scored 140 runs in just 141 balls. Supported by half-centuries from Marnus Labuschagne (64) and valuable contributions from Nathan McSweeney (39), Australia posted 337, taking a substantial 157-run lead. For India, Jasprit Bumrah (4/61) and Mohammed Siraj (4/98) were the standout bowlers.

India’s second innings further exposed their frailty against the Australian attack. Despite promising starts from Gill (28), Jaiswal (24), and Rishabh Pant (28), the batting unit failed to build partnerships, folding for 175 in just 36.5 overs. Pat Cummins (5/67) spearheaded the Australian bowling attack with a commanding five-wicket haul, supported by Scott Boland (3/51) and Starc (2/60).

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Australia chased down the modest target of 19 runs with ease, as Usman Khawaja (10*) and McSweeney (9*) sealed the victory in 3.2 overs.

Reflecting on the match, Rohit emphasized the need to regroup and prepare for the third Test at Gabba. “We are looking forward to the Gabba Test. There’s not much time, but we’ll focus on what worked for us in Perth and what we can improve. Every Test match presents its own challenges, and we need to start strong.”

With the series now tied, both teams will head to Brisbane, where India will hope to reclaim their form and Australia will aim to build on their momentum.