Border-Gavaskar Trophy: ‘Job not done’ for Australia, game-changer Travis Head says

India’s middle-order nemesis Travis Head is not yet ready to reflect on a classic Adelaide Oval century, declaring Australia have unfinished business.

After being embarrassed by 295 runs in Perth, Australia are in the box seat to level the Border-Gavaskar series after dominating the first two days of the second Test.

India will start day three on Sunday on 5-128, still requiring 29 runs just to make Australia bat again.

But while dynamic keeper Rishabh Pant (28no) and fearless young allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy (15no) are at the crease, India still have hope of pulling off an unlikely heist and ending Australia’s perfect pink-ball record in Adelaide.

Head scored a century in his home Test for a third-straight match, blazing 140 from 141 balls in an electric innings on Saturday to power Australia to a first-innings lead of 157.

“We’ve played well over two days and it’s nice to contribute to that,” reckoned Head, who’d also scored 89 in the second innings during the first-Test defeat in Perth.

“I felt like I played well personally last week, it was just a matter of getting in and a bit luck go my way.

“I probably batted better last week than I did in Adelaide, but it’s nice to make use of some chances and play well and put ourselves in a good position.

“I won’t be pleased until the game is done and I can look back, but there’s still a fair bit of work to do.”

Head, who regretted a confrontation with Mohammed Siraj after the paceman had bowled him and given him a disparaging send-off, has given India’s bowlers some painful memories over the past 18 months.

The eighth Test century of his career follows his 163 in the World Test Championship final, as well as a famous ton in Australia’s stunning ODI World Cup final triumph when India were red-hot favourites.

Head became the first South Australian-born batter to score three Test hundreds at the Adelaide Oval.

“I can’t quite believe that I’ve been able to do it three years in a row, and I think I’ll look back at the end of my career and be proud of that,” he said.

“Hopefully, I’ve got a few more Test matches to come.

“Family’s been here, it’s been a crazy couple of days so far and I’ve loved every moment of my home Test match.”

Captain Pat Cummins and Scott Boland both have two second-innings wickets, giving them four scalps each for the Test.

After career-best figures of 6-48 on Friday, Mitchell Starc skittled Shubman Gill’s stumps on Saturday night when the No.3 was looking dangerous on 28.