‘Audacious’ doesn’t do justice to Travis Head. No situation fazes the Australian left-hander, no bowler drives him into his shell. Over the last year and a half, Head has made it a habit of feasting on India’s bowling attack. He did so in the final of the World Test Championship at The Oval in June last year, and reprised that feat in the final of the 50-over World Cup in Ahmedabad five months later. He was at it again on Saturday, flaying the Indians to all parts of the Adelaide Oval.

India’s top-order collapse

After Head knocked the stuffing out of Rohit Sharma’s men with 140 of the finest at nearly a run a ball, India’s top-order collapsed like a pack of cards for the third time in four innings on Day Two of the second Test. Trailing by 157 on the first count, India barely managed to stretch the pink ball Test to the third afternoon, finishing on 128-5 with Rishabh Pant and Nitish Kumar Reddy carrying their slender hopes.