India posted their lowest-ever total in Test cricket when they managed only 36/9 in the second innings of the day-night Test in Adelaide. The visitors, who were on the front-foot at stumps on Day 2, put up a terrible show with the bat to get the unwarranted record. Resuming their innings at 9/1 on Day 3, nightwatchman Jasprit Bumrah was the first one to depart after he handed a simple catch back to Pat Cummins. While Bumrah’s wicket was not a cause of worry what transpired after that was one players would not like to remember. Australian fast bowlers’ immaculate bowling coupled with the poor shot selection by Indian batsmen saw them reduced from 15/1 at one stage to 15/5 within a few overs.
After Bumrah’s wicket, Cummins got rid of Cheteshwar Pujara for a duck with a peach of a delivery to give India a huge blow. Mayank Agarwal, after struggling for his nine off 40 balls, also handed a simple catch behind stumps off Josh Hazlewood’s bowling.
Rahane, who is set to lead India from next game onwards, nicked a swinging delivery from Hazlewood to Tim Paine behind stumps. He also got out for a duck after facing just four balls.
Indian skipper Virat Kohli, playing his last innings of the calendar year, shot himself in the foot when he played way away from his body and was caught in the slip cordon by Cameroon Green, who completed the catch after an initial fumble. This was the first year since 2008 when Kohli couldn’t score a single century in the calendar year, across formats.
Wriddhiman Saha along with Hanuma Vihari showed some resilience and helped India avoid the lowest-ever total in Test cricket when they reached the 26-run mark.
Another poor shot resulted in Saha’s wicket as he handed a simple catch to Marnus Labuschagne at mid-wicket after scoring for runs.
Promoted
Ravichandran Ashwin, India’s hero with the ball in the first innings, departed for a golden duck. He also edged an outside off delivery to the wicket-keeper.
Hanuma Vihari cut a short delivery from Cummins behind point as India avoided the lowest total in Test cricket. However, that was all about his heroics with the bat as Hazlewood completed his 8th five-wicket haul in Test cricket as he induced an outside edge that went went straight to the keeper.
Topics mentioned in this article