Heading into day three of the first Test between India and Australia in Adelaide, the match was hanging nicely in the balance as both teams had a real chance of emerging victorious. However, it only took about 40 minutes on Saturday morning for the Australian fast bowlers to absolutely finish off the contest.
India’s innings finished at 36/9 (with Mohammed Shami retired hurt) as Australia were left with a target of 90 runs. This is India’s lowest ever innings total in Test cricket.
Needing just 90 to win, Australia got to the target with the loss of two wickets with Joe Burns helping himself to a half century.
India, who started the day on 9/1 from six overs in their second innings, were leading by 62 runs. They would have hoped to bat for most of the day and end up giving a target of at least 250 to Australia.
But what happened at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday morning was simply a jaw-dropping experience.
Here’s how India’s wickets fell:
1/7
2/7
3/15
4/15
5/15
6/19
7/26
8/26
9/31
9/36 (Shami retired hurt)
Once nightwatchman Jasprit Bumrah hit it straight back to Pat Cummins, India’s batsmen went down like ninepins.
Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane got out for zero, captain Virat Kohli could manage just a four behind square on the off, Mayank Agarwal scored 9 off 40, Hanuma Vihari and Wriddhiman Saha hardly contributed, while Ravichandran Ashwin perished for a first ball duck.
To make matters worse, pacer Shami retired hurt after suffering a nasty blow to his arm and that’s how India’s innings wrapped up.
Ouch...
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 19, 2020
Shami is getting some treatment for a nasty blow on the arm: https://t.co/LGCJ7zSdrY #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/SyodTTQXO0
Although India’s collapse was truly sensational, nothing could be taken away from the phenomenal fast bowling by the Australians.
Josh Hazlewood finished with memorable figures of 5/8 from five overs, with Pat Cummins picking up the other four wickets for 21 runs from 10.2 overs. The two right-arm quicks were deadly accurate and produced some near-unplayable deliveries to the Indian batsmen.
Twitter, of course was at a loss of words for the sensational morning of Test cricket.
Here are some reactions:
Congratulations to Josh Hazelwood on taking 200 Test Wickets. Intelligence combined with pace, bounce, control & consistency. So proud of you mate #fastbowler #FBC #200wickets #ausvind https://t.co/Eq5bqGVeD8
— Glenn McGrath (@glennmcgrath11) December 19, 2020
Tim Paine's Twitter handle is never gonna be read in the same way @tdpaine36
— absy (@absycric) December 19, 2020
If i call (492)04084041 who will I get through to? Just took the digits from India’s batting card and wondered #AUSvsIND 😢
— Gautam Bhimani (@gbhimani) December 19, 2020
कभी-कभी अपार आनंद, अपार दु:ख में कैसे परिवर्तित हो जाता है, इसका अनुभव मैंने आज किया। #AUSvINDtest
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) December 19, 2020
No batsman reaching double digits in a Test innings:
— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) December 19, 2020
South Africa (2nd inns) vs England, Birmingham 1924
India (2nd inns) vs Australia, Adelaide 2020#AUSvIND
The total of 36 today is....
— Rajneesh Gupta (@rgcricket) December 19, 2020
-India's lowest ever total in Tests
-Lowest by any side in day-night Tests#AUSvsIND
36 - India have compiled their lowest total in a men's Test innings (36); in addition, it is also the joint-lowest team total in the format on Australian soil (also 36 by South Africa v Australia, February 1932 in Melbourne). Nadir.#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/EDUtgsqOop
— OptaJim (@OptaJim) December 19, 2020
Shaw: 4
— Wisden India (@WisdenIndia) December 19, 2020
Agarwal: 9
Bumrah: 2
Pujara: 0
Kohli: 4
Rahane: 0
Vihari: 8
Saha: 4
Ashwin: 0
Umesh: 4*
Shami: 1
India finish on 36-9, their lowest score in Test cricket history. #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/znbQT0zMeL
Unmitigated disaster!
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) December 19, 2020
36 and done.
— Chetan Narula (@chetannarula) December 19, 2020
India conceded 52 runs for last 2 Aus wkts. Dropped 5-6 catches. Should have had a 100-run lead.
But... not sure 136 would have been enough even then. Such has been this morning. Still shell shocked at that bowling spell.
Hazlewood-Cummins ⭐️⭐️. #AusvInd
This is some of the finest line and length bowling you will see. Forcing the batsmen to play in that uncomfortable corridor and doing just enough.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) December 19, 2020
India 31/9 ...what a scorecard to wake up to #AUSvsIND
— Paul Adams (@PaulAdams39) December 19, 2020
This is absurd
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 19, 2020
Calendar years without a century for Virat Kohli
— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) December 19, 2020
In International cricket:
2008 (Played 5 ODIs)
2020 (Played 3 Tests, 9 ODIs, 10 T20Is)
In Professional cricket:
2006 (5 FC, 1 List A)
2020 (3 FC, 9 List A, 25 T20s)#AUSvIND
Have we seen any other Test Match in the recent past where the Pace bowlers of both teams have been this accurate and relentless. Fast bowlers at the peak of their game. Great to watch. #AUSvIND
— Gaurav Sundararaman (@gaurav_sundar) December 19, 2020
#AUSvIND #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/li5FnPgYEZ
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) December 19, 2020
Seam bowling masterclass from Hazelwood. #AUSvIND
— Jatin Paranjape (@jats72) December 19, 2020
Game over.
— Chetan Narula (@chetannarula) December 19, 2020
And the worst part is... you cannot even be angry at that. Not like they have been rash shots.
This is simply unplayable stuff from Australian bowlers. #AusvInd
Fewest runs added by India’s top-6 in a Test innings where all six dismissed:
— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman) December 19, 2020
19 v Aus, Adelaide, 2020 (3rd inn.)
20 v NZ, Hyderabad, 1969 (2nd inn.)
21 v NZ, Mohali, 1999 (1st inn.) #INDvsAUS
2....W...................W....W...W...4W..
— Samuel Ferris (@samuelfez) December 19, 2020
Australia take 5 for 6 in 7 overs #AUSvIND
India has never been 19/6 in their Test history!
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) December 19, 2020
Previous: 25/6 in the 4th innings at Kingsmead, Durban in Dec 1996. India then were dismissed for 66 #AusvInd#IndvInd
First innings of 2018 #AusvInd Test at Adelaide
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) December 19, 2020
Kohli caught at gully (Khawaja flying) to Cummins : 3 runs
Second innings of 2020 #AusvInd Test at Adelaide
Kohli caught at gully (Green) to Cummins : 4 runs
Action replay two years apart...
Seam bowling >>>>>>> Swing bowling
— Snehal Pradhan (@SnehalPradhan) December 19, 2020
What's the process to expedite the visa and quarantine period for VVS, Tendulkar and Dravid? #INDvsAUS
— Rahul Fernandes (@newspaperwallah) December 19, 2020
Getting Indian run machine Cheteshwar Pujara for a duck amid a stunning batting collapse - #OhWhatAFeeling indeed! #AUSvIND | @Toyota_Aus pic.twitter.com/3htz5NLNFY
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 19, 2020
Cameron Green did well to hold on here!
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 19, 2020
Absolute scenes as Pat Cummins also celebrates his 150th Test wicket.#AUSvIND | @hcltech pic.twitter.com/PQscMWsdIz
Kohli gone too. India 19/6
— Ashish Magotra (@clutchplay) December 19, 2020
Lowest ever total in Test cricket is 26
India's lowest total in Test cricket is 42
India's lowest total in Australia is 58.
Fewest Test inns to reach 150 wickets (Aus)
— Adam Burnett (@AdamBurnett09) December 19, 2020
Grimmett 49
Warne 55
Lillee 59
MacGill 59
CUMMINS 59#AUSvIND
WTF OMG!!!!!
— Rob Moody (@robelinda2) December 19, 2020
India in total disarray now.
#AUSvIND #INDvAUS
— The Field (@thefield_in) December 19, 2020
India this morning:
15/2
15/3
15/4
15/5pic.twitter.com/9Rx3J4jN02
Ducks for Pujara in Australia in Tests:
— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman) December 19, 2020
First 11 innings : 0
Last four innings : 2#INDvsAUS