On this day in 2020: India register their lowest Test total

India have had some memorable cricketing moments at the Adelaide Oval. The best moment has to be Rahul Dravid’s match-winning shot in December 2003. It helped the Indian team in taking a 1-0 lead in the four-match series. However, India’s lowest point in red-ball cricket also happened on the same ground. They were reduced to 36/9 by spirited Aussies led by Tim Paine.

On this very day, Team India ended up registering their lowest-ever Test total. It was courtesy of a dramatic batting collapse on the morning session of Day 3.

When India slipped to their lowest-ever Test total

Australia and India locked horns in the first Test at the Adelaide Oval. The Aussies had a reputation to maintain as they were yet to lose a Day-Night Test. This was also a momentous occasion for India as their regular skipper Virat Kohli was set to fly back home after that match to attend the birth of his child.

Kohli won the toss and elected to bat first, but the Indians received an immediate setback when opener Prithvi Shaw was cleaned up for a silver duck. Some crucial contributions from Virat Kohli (74), Cheteshwar Pujara (43) and Ajinkya Rahane (42) meant India were able to post 244 in the first innings.

Australia in reply were bundled out for just 191 runs and as India took a 53-run lead. Nonetheless, the batters squandered the opportunity on the third day’s play as Josh Hazlewood starred with a fifer.

36 all out

The Indian wickets started falling like nine pins with some of them being soft dismissals. When India’s scorecard read 36/9, tail-ender Mohammed Shami was struck awkwardly on his wrist by a Pat Cummins delivery and was forced to retire hurt.

Chasing a modest target of 90 runs, the Australians did lose the wickets of Matthew Wade and Marnus Labuschagne. Joe Burns and Steve Smith helped them get past the finish line by eight wickets as the Aussies drew first blood in the four-match series.