Rain set to impact second Test between Australia and India but not the pitch

The Adelaide Oval pitch wasn’t an excuse for India’s catastrophic 36 all out in the pink-ball Test against Australia four years ago and won’t be this year either, with some opening day thunderstorms likely to be only the issue to impact the second clash in the Border-Gavaskar series.

Australia romped to an eight-wicket win when the two teams last clashed in Adelaide, in December 2020, after India lost a stunning 8-21 to be dismissed for the record low after a day three batting collapse, the same day the match ended.

It came after India posted 244 in the opening innings, followed by 191 from Australia, who with Matthew Wade and Joe Burns opening the batting, reeled in the 93 runs required for victory just two wickets down.

Having transformed the drop-in Adelaide Oval pitch from a batter’s paradise to one that can deliver returns for both bat and ball, particularly for the rarely used pink ball, curator Damian Hough said no one could have foreseen what went down four years ago.

But he was adamant the pitch had nothing to do with it, and this time around expected another good wicket, with Australia looking to get back into the series after losing the opening clash in Perth by 295-runs.

“On the morning of day three, no one would have expected that Test match to finish in three days,” Hough said on Wednesday.

“That was just really good bowling from Australia ... I don’t think the pitch played a part in that.

“Our job is to get that balance right and try to get a really good, even contest.”

The Australian team will feature two of the fast bowlers who brought India to its knees bak then but not the chief destroyer, Josh Hazlewood. He took 5-8 in 2020 but will miss the clash with a side strain, opening the door for Victorian Scott Boland to come back into the side. But Hough said the opening day, with a sellout crowd of more than 53,500 expected on Friday, could be impacted by rain.

“Friday looks like it could be thunderstorms,” he said.

“I’m not sure exactly on the timing of those storms coming through, but we’re expecting to pull covers on Friday.

“Hopefully, it clears out on Saturday morning, then it should be good for the remainder of the Test.”