Australian pacer Mitchell Starc revealed that he didn’t need any extraordinary tactics to dismiss Yashasvi Jaiswal for a golden duck on Day 1 of the second Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 Test in Adelaide. Starc, who delivered a brilliant spell of 6/48, played a crucial role in skittling India out for just 180 runs in the pink-ball Test.

Speaking after the day's play, Starc explained his straightforward approach of targeting the stumps, which proved effective against the Indian top-order batter. Reflecting on Jaiswal’s dismissal, he said, “At the stumps, hit the pads. That's it. Nothing special.” This strategy, focused on attacking the stumps with the new ball, has been central to Starc’s success over the years, and it worked yet again on the lively Adelaide pitch.

“That’s been my role for a while: to attack the stumps and try and make early inroads. Pleased to sneak one past today. We know how important it is to make early inroads into this batting lineup. It’s always a nice way to start. It is a big Test match, it’s a big series,” Starc added, emphasizing the significance of early breakthroughs.

Australia ended the day in a strong position at 86/1, capitalizing on Starc’s early damage to the Indian batting lineup.

During the press conference, Starc also shared his thoughts on the impact of IPL and T20 cricket on modern Test batting, particularly among younger players. He praised the aggressive and fearless approach of rising stars like Nitish Kumar Reddy, who impressed with his shot-making on Day 1.

“Yeah, the game’s changed. I guess that’s partly the T20-era. Some of these guys come up through IPL cricket and there’s no fear. There’s expectation to be good from the get-go. They’re quality players from the time they get into international cricket, no matter what their age is," Starc commented.

“We’ve obviously seen a little bit of Jaiswal before in the last week, had a fantastic innings, and then some of the shots (Nitish) Kumar Reddy played today, they were some special shots. Whether it’s T20 cricket or coming into Test cricket or no-fear cricket from the next generation, I’ve been around long enough to see it change a little bit,” Starc concluded.

Australia will look to build on their solid start, while India will hope for a fightback in the remaining days of the crucial Test.