Last Updated on 2 months by Charbel Coorey
The famous Adelaide Oval played host to the first day/night Test back in 2015 where Australia took on New Zealand. The hosts won that tight encounter by three wickets, and have since gone on to win a further six pink-ball Tests at this ground by big margins.
Adelaide Oval records: Australia still unbeaten in pink-ball Tests
Results in day/night Tests at Adelaide Oval: Australian dominance
- 2015: Australia beat New Zealand by three wickets.
- 2016: Australia beat South Africa by seven wickets.
- 2017: Australia beat England by 120 runs.
- 2019: Australia beat Pakistan by an innings and 48 runs.
- 2020: Australia beat India by eight wickets.
- 2021: Australia beat England by 275 runs.
- 2022: Australia beat West Indies by 419 runs.
The result against India in 2020/21 is a standout. Australia produced a bowling performance for the ages to bowl India out for 36 in the second innings, setting up an eight-wicket win in the process. However, India went on to win that series.
“They bounced back pretty well after that game,” captain Pat Cummins said, as quoted by foxsports.com.au.
India started the 2024/25 BGT series in style, thumping Australia by 295 runs in Perth. They are breaking the trends at the moment. Before 2021, Australia hadn’t lost at the Gabba for over 30 years. The Aussies also hadn’t lost at Optus Stadium before this series. Past records don’t seem to matter much when Australia play India, and Cummins and his team have their work cut out to recover.
Average first innings score in day/night Tests at Adelaide Oval
The average first innings score in the seven day/night Tests is 388.57. However, scores have fluctuated. There have been three totals under 300 (202, 259 and 244) and four others above 400 (442, 589, 473, 511).
Two of those big totals came against struggling England teams who lost both the 2017/18 and 2021/22 Ashes 4-0. The highest total – 589 – came against a listless Pakistan attack and 511/7 came against an inexperienced West Indies in 2022.
Best Test average for Australia in day/night Tests at the Adelaide Oval (current players)
- 63.85 – Marnus Labuschagne
- 49.36 – Travis Head
- 40.00 – Steve Smith
- 39.69 – Usman Khawaja
- 35.14 – Alex Carey
Four Australians in the current XI average above 35 in pink-ball Tests at Adelaide. The under pressure Marnus Labuschagne would do anything to replicate his current average of 63.85. Much is also expected of Khawaja, Smith and Head.
Labuschagne struck 162 in the 2019 Test against Pakistan. He also hit 103 and 51 in the 2021 Ashes Test, plus 163 against West Indies in 2022.
Pace trumps spin in pink-ball Tests
| Pace bowlers | Spin bowlers |
| Wickets: 173 | Wickets: 47 |
| Average: 27.19 | Average: 39.72 |
Spinners have largely struggled in pink-ball Tests at this ground. However, Nathan Lyon stands out, with 28 wickets at an average of 23.86.
Mitchell Starc loves a day/night Test at Adelaide Oval, taking 39 wickets at an average of 16.67. Overall, he has taken 66 wickets in 12 pink-ball matches at an average of 18.71.
Virat Kohli loves batting at the Adelaide Oval
Adelaide Oval is one of Virat Kohli’s favourite grounds. He struck 74 and 4 in the 2020/21 pink-ball Test, part of 509 runs at an average of 63.63. This includes three centuries in eight innings, with his twin centuries in the classic 2014 Test one of his best-ever performances.
Kohli comes into the 2024 Adelaide Test off the back of a welcome century in the second innings at Perth.
Other key records in day/night Tests at Adelaide Oval:
- Highest team score: 589/3d by Australia (batting first) vs. Pakistan in 2019/20.
- Lowest team score: 36 by India (batting third) vs. Australia in 2020/21.
- Highest individual score: 335* by David Warner vs. Pakistan in 2019/20.
- Best bowling figures in an innings: 6/66 by Mitchell Starc vs. Pakistan in 2019/20.
