India were looking to make a statement against the home team, Australia in the first Test (pink ball). After having won the toss, India elected to bat first. It was seen as a bold decision from Virat Kohli to bat first on a wicket that seemed to have something for the bowlers. India did manage to put up a score of 244 in their first innings thanks mainly to contributions from Captain Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, and Ajinkya Rahane. The total looked like a fighting one considering the conditions. India fought back brilliantly with the ball and restricted Australia to 191 thereby grabbing what many experts believed was a match-winning lead. But come the 3rd morning of the Test match, the story had completely changed and India lost its batting plot.
What happened and how it all started?
India having put on 9 runs for the loss of 1 wicket at the end of day 2 walked in with Mayank Agarwal and nightwatchman Jasprit Bumrah. Agarwal helped himself to a boundary in the first over which showed India walked in with a positive mindset. But the 2nd over of the day from Pat Cummins changed everything. He got the better of Jasprit Bumrah with a cross-seam ball and had him caught and bowled. From then on it was just procession from the batting lineup. Cummins picked up Pujara with a peach of a delivery and Josh Hazlewood coming in as the first change bowler picked up Agarwal from his first delivery itself. This dismissal brought in two of India’s best batsmen at the crease: Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane. But Hazlewood got Rahane and India were completely in tatters.
Where did the shambolic display of batting leave India?
Kohli was getting restless and felt the heat of wickets tumbling at the other end. In a desperate attempt to score runs, he lost his wicket driving a wide delivery and was caught at gully by Cameroon Green. Post his dismissal India were looking up to the likes of Hanuma Vihari, Wriddhiman Saha, and Ravichandran Ashwin but even they couldn’t fire. The last worse thing which happened was fast bowler Mohammad Shami coping a blow on his elbow and being declared retired hurt. India registered the lowest total of the 21st century with 36 runs on the board. This was their lowest score in test cricket which up until this point was 42 which they had scored against England in 1974. It was a classic case of throwing away the advantage which they possessed till yesterday.
