Complex sentence: Darling was given his chance in the Australian Test team through the defection of several players to World Series Cricket, and made his debut as an opener against India in the summer of 1977--78 at Adelaide for the fifth test.
Split into simpler sentences: Darling was given his chance in the Australian Test team through the defection of several players to World Series Cricket in 1977. He made his debut as an opener against India in the summer of 1977--78 at Adelaide for the fifth test.