WATCH: R. Ashwin robbed off wicket by third umpire Richard Kettleborough during Adelaide Test

A massive controversial incident just broke out before the end of the 1st session of play. R. Ashwin was left angry thanks to an umpiring howler by Richard Kettleborough, the third umpire of the match between India and Australia. The incident happened during the penultimate over before the tea break. Ashwin was bowling to Mitchell Marsh who came down the track and was hit on the pads. 

Ashwin was convinced that it was out and asked skipper Rohit Sharma to take the DRS. This is where things got interesting as there was a spike shown on the ultra-edge. From the images on TV, it was clear that the ball was hitting the pads. Richard Kettleborough, however, was quick to ask the on-field umpire to give it not out. 

Blind or what?
Last match Rahul was given out
This time Marsh was given not out#INDvsAUSpic.twitter.com/RCghjYJL4V

— Naresh (@Nareshkatta7799) December 7, 2024

Even the commentators were left puzzled that there were no further checks being done. India lost their second review with all the players looking frustrated. Replays showed that the ball had hit the pads on the full. Once the ball tracker came into play it was seen that the ball was going to hit the stumps. This would have been a huge moment in the game as the hosts would have lost their 5th wicket before the interval. 

Half-centuries by Head and Labuschagne give Australia slender lead

The hosts began the day at 86/1 with Nathan McSweeney and Marnus Labuschagne looking to see out the first hour. Jasprit Bumrah gave India the breakthrough in the first ball of the third over of day two. The 31-year-old produced the perfect edge to dismiss McSweeney for 39 caught by Jasprit Bumrah to give India the 1st wicket of the day.  

Steve Smith’s bad form with the bat continued when he became the third wicket of the game for Bumrah. The 35-year-old was strangled down the leg side as Pant took an easy catch to give India their third wicket of the day. Smith fell for just 2 runs after scoring just 17 runs in the first Test of the series in Perth. 

Marnus Labuschagne then got the scoring rate ticking as he reached a well crafted half-century. The Australian number 3 added 65 runs for the 4th wicket with Travis Head before falling to Nitish Reddy for 64 as Yashasvi Jaiswal took an easy catch. Local boy Travis Head was not out on 53 off 67 with four boundaries and 2 sixes with Marsh keeping him company on 2 runs off 10 balls.