Too slow? Mitchell Starc responds to Yashasvi Jaiswal sledge in style in pink-ball Test

It’s getting spicier in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. With his first delivery in the second Test of the much-talked-about series, Mitchell Starc told the world he is still one of the best, especially when it comes to operating with the pink ball. The senior Australian fast bowler responded to a much-publicised sledge from Yashasvi Jaiswal in style, sending the young batter back to the pavilion for a golden duck.

Mitchell Starc struck with the first delivery of the pink-ball Test match, getting the big wicket of Yashasvi Jaiswal. Starc swung the ball from the leg-stump line and allowed it to straighten and hit the pads. Yashasvi, who was looking to cover the line, moved across, but missed the delivery completely.

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Yashasvi looked distraught as he was shaking his head in frustration while walking back to the dressing room. On the other side, Mitchell Starc was pumped up, having made a huge statement early in the second Test match. Yashasvi did not even ask for a review as he started walking back after a brief discussion with his opening partner, KL Rahul.

Starc was delighted as he let his ball do the talking after the sledging battle in Perth. Yashasvi, who hit 161 in the second innings in Perth, had called Starc ‘too slow’ in a playful exchange when India were dominating the Australian bowlers in the second innings.

“You are coming too slow at me,” Jaiswal was heard saying, on the stump mic, after a staring battle between the two players in Perth.

However, Starc had chosen not to engage in the verbal battle. In fact, the fast bowler recalled the exchange after the Test match.

“I didn’t actually hear him say I bowled too slow. I don’t say too much to people these days. I may have been back in the day, but now I just sort of get on with it,” Starc had said.

On Friday in Adelaide, Starc equalled Pedro Collins’s record for striking in the first ball of a Test match most times — three each.

It was a dream start to Australia in Adelaide as they pushed India to the back foot early. India won the toss and opted to bat on a gloomy afternoon in Adelaide. Captain Rohit Sharma returned to the XI after missing the Perth Test, but he did not open the batting. Rohit confirmed that KL Rahul and Yashasvi would open in Adelaide after their success in Perth. Rohit was slotted to bat at No. 6, according to the team sheet for the first innings in Adelaide.

India made three changes to their XI, also bringing back Shubman Gill and R Ashwin in place of Devdutt Padikkal and Washington Sundar.

For Australia, Starc and captain Pat Cummins took the new ball as Josh Hazlewood was ruled out with an injury. Scott Boland replaced Hazlewood as the only change in their XI.