India on Saturday sank to their lowest ever total in an innings of a Test match when Australia bundled them for a meager total of 36 runs in the second innings of the first Test at the Adelaide Oval.
Starting the innings with a 53-run lead, India lost nine wickets in just 27 runs in the first session on Day 3 of the pink-ball Test. Mohammed Shami, the No. 11 batsman, retired hurt and could not bat.
Josh Hazlewood (5/8) and Pat Cummins (4/21) with their fiery spells have now given Australia a complete control over the Day-Night fixture. The hosts need to chase 90 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the four-match series.
India, who began at the overnight score of nine for one, had a nightmarish start when they lost four wickets at the team total of 15 and then four runs later at 19 lost their sixth wicket in the form of skipper Virat Kohli.
They then lost Wriddhiman Saha and R Ashwin on successive deliveries to be 26 for eight. Hanuma Vihari then scored a four and got a single to get India clear of the three lowest scores in Test history, 26 by New Zealand and 30 twice by South Africa.
However, Vihari fell as the ninth batsman at the team score of 31.
Earlier, India lost four wickets fell on 15. Overnight batsman Jasprit Bumrah, who had walked in as nightwatchman on Friday was caught and bowled by Pat Cummins off a change of pace. Then Cheteshwar Pujara was caught behind off Cummins’s delivery that moved just a bit as the India No. 3 fell for an eight-ball duck.
Josh Hazlewood then got two wickets in one over as he removed opener Mayank Agarwal, getting him caught behind off his first ball and followed it up with the wicket of Ajinkya Rahane, who was also caught behind for a four-ball duck.
Skipper Virat Kohli got a four towards third man but was soon after caught at gully by Cameron Green off Cummins.
The carnage by Aussies saw India lose five wickets for four runs in 5.4 overs.
They were 26 for eight at the drinks break.
At the score of 26, they lost Wriddhiman Saha, caught at short midwicket and R Ashwin who was caught behind to be eight down for 26.
Pat Cummins (4/21 in 10.2) and Josh Hazlewood (5/8 in five) shared the wickets.
The Indian innings lasted just 21.2 overs.
This was also joint fourth lowest total in Test cricket history behind 26 by New Zealand, 30 (twice) by South Africa, 35 also by South Africa.
Australia and South Africa also have scored 36 before. However, barring New Zealand’s 26, that happened in 1955, the rest of the lowest totals mentioned above happened prior to the second World War.
India’s lowest totals in Tests:
36/9 vs Australia at Adelaide Oval in 2020
42 vs England at Lord’s in 1974
58 vs Australia at Brisbane in 1947
58 vs England at Manchester in 1952
66 vs South Africa at Durban in 1996
67 vs Australia at Melbourne in 1948
75 vs West Indies at Delhi in 1987
76 vs South Africa at Ahmedabad in 2008
With IANS inputs