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Australia lost opener Usman Khawaja but claimed first-day honors in the second day-night Test in Adelaide on Friday after a Mitchell Starc attack saw India fall to 180.

By the end the hosts were 86-1, with Nathan McSweeney making 38 not out from 97 balls and Marnus Labuschagne having 20, after the visitors were sent off on the verge of victory after winning the toss and opting to bat.

A menacing Starc was India’s greatest destroyer.

He gave the hosts a dream start by beating Yashasvi Jaiswal with the first ball of the match and finished with 6-48 – his best Test figures.

In response, Australia fended off 10 overs of the pink ball in the twilight before Jasprit Bumrah’s persistence paid off by finding extra movement and with it a strong lead from Khawaja (13), which led to Rohit Sharma at slip.

McSweeney took 17 balls to hit the mark and had a life of three when he was dropped by wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.

But he made the most of his assets and showed maturity in his second Test, while Labuschagne survived a nervous start as he aims for a big score after a dry spell.

“It’s been my job for some time now to attack the stumps and try to make early progress,” Starc said. “Good way to start a test. All in all a good day.”

“To end the day with just one setback…overcoming the sustained pressure of a top-class bowling attack is fantastic.”

India went into the clash on a good note after a 295-run win in the first Test in Perth, but Australia have an impressive record in Adelaide, winning all seven pink-ball Tests they have played there.

The visitors retained Jaiswal and KL Rahul as openers and preferred Rohit, who missed the first Test due to paternity leave and came into the game at the age of six.

But the plan backfired when Starc sensationally denied Jaiswal lbw after a swinging first ball, and the left-back’s cocky celebration showed just how much that meant.

Jaiswal scored 161 in his final innings.

The returning Shubman Gill then smashed two boundaries in an eventful first over.

But the runs dried up and Rahul remained at the crease for 40 minutes without scoring as he was caught behind Scott Boland.

Rahul walked away but a no-ball was called and he survived.

Five balls later he had another free kick which Khawaja dropped.

Undeterred, he fought on before Starc used his magic again to remove him for 37.

Virat Kohli returned to form with an unbeaten century in Perth, but this time he was no match for Starc and was bowled out for seven when Steve Smith conceded a slip catch.

Gill weathered the storm but his luck ran out just before the first break when he fell 31lb to the relentless Boland.

“I thought Australia did well, they prepared us well with a few dismissals, but I also don’t think 86-1 is a true reflection of the way we bowled,” India bowling coach Morne Morkel said.

“I know the result looks like a big gap between the two teams, but we still feel like we are in the game.”

Six wickets fell in the second session, including Rohit (3) and Pant (21).

Pant should have gone for five but McSweeney missed a great chance in the gully off Boland, alongside the injured Josh Hazlewood.

But the 35-year-old got his reward four balls later, beating Rohit’s bat to catch him left-handed.

Pant fell victim to a vicious climbing ball from Pat Cummins before a hostile Starc came back to take care of Ravichandran Ashwin (22) and Harshit Rana (0) within four balls.

With India in trouble, Nitish Kumar Reddy took charge and hit two big sixes in a Boland over, making his highest Test score of 42, before he and Bumrah succumbed to Starc and Cummins respectively.