Labuschagne, Head fifties give Australia a slender lead in Adelaide

Jasprit Bumrah struck twice with the pink ball but half-centuries from Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head took Australia past India's first-innings tally to 191-4 on day two of the day-night second test on Saturday.

Australia were sitting pretty with an 11-run lead over India's 180 at the first break at Adelaide Oval after Head had led the charge with a belligerent 53 not out, which included two sixes off Ravichandran Ashwin.

All-rounder Mitchell Marsh was batting on two at the other end as Australia looked to build a solid platform for a series-levelling victory. Australia resumed on 86-1 but Bumrah,

The crafty seamer also dismissed Steve Smith for two, strangling the out-of-form batter down the leg side with wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant taking a diving catch.

Labuschagne understandably kept his head down and collected runs without courting risks en route to only his second half-century in his last 11 test innings.

Head, coming in at the other end, was more assertive and hit off-spinner Ashwin over the mid-off ropes for his second boundary.

That approach appeared to rub off on Labuschagne, who proceeded to smash seamer Harshit Rana for three fours in the space of four balls.

Nitish Kumar Reddy broke their 65-run stand when Labuschagne, who made 64, cut him to gully where Yashasvi Jaiswal took a sharp catch.

Head could not be contained, though, and the left-hander continued to play his shots on his way to a 63-ball fifty.