Australian skipper Pat Cummins showered praise on Mitchell Starc and Travis Head after a comprehensive 10-wicket win against India in the second pink-ball Test of the Border-Gavaskar series at Adelaide Oval, on Sunday.

While Starc bagged eight wickets in the match, Head scored a match-winning knock of 140 runs off just 141 balls to help the Aussies level the five-match series one-all. Starc returned with his career-best figures of 6-48 in the first innings as he continued his love affair with the pink-ball.

The left-arm seamer was instrumental in skittling out India at 180 after the tourists decided to bat first. Subsequently, Head batted at the top of his game when the game was almost in the balance and he blew away the Indian attack. Head was awarded Player of the Match for his match-winning knock.

Meanwhile, Pat Cummins led from the front as he claimed seven wickets in the match, returning with a five-wicket haul in the second dig.

Pat Cummins said in the post-match presentation, “Great week, knew we were far away from the team we want to be in Perth. This is back to how we want to play. (On his personal form) I was happy, wasn’t too upset with how I bowled in Perth, and felt really good this week and good to get a few wickets. Amazing, never that much noise within the group, we know what a good unit we are.”

Lauding Mitchell Starc for his fine performance, Cummins said, “Having someone like Starc, he’s amazing, just does it time and time again. He’s done it for over a decade now. Feel very lucky and privileged to have him in our team.”

Showering praise on Travis Head, Cummins added, “He loves batting here, again one of those momentum-shifts, the game could have gone either way when he walked out to bat but he took it straight out of their hands.”

The third Test match between India and Australia will be played at the Gabba, Brisbane from December 14.