Five years ago, on December 19, 2020, the Indian cricket team experienced a collective nightmare that is etched in the annals of Test cricket history. Playing the opening match of a four-Test series at the Adelaide Oval, the side, led by Virat Kohli, was skittled out for its lowest-ever total of 36 runs in just 21.2 overs. The catastrophic collapse against the relentless pace duo of Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood remains a sombre benchmark, a day of infamy that the team and its fans would rather forget.
The Unfolding of a Catastrophe
The stage was set for a competitive third day. India held a 53-run first-innings lead, having bowled Australia out for 191 after posting 244 themselves. At stumps on Day 2, the scoreboard read 9/1, an overall lead of 62. Optimism was in the air, but it evaporated with shocking speed the next morning. The innings unravelled from the moment Pat Cummins dismissed nightwatchman Jasprit Bumrah off the last ball of the day's second over.
What followed was a display of precision fast bowling and abject batting collapse. Cummins and Hazlewood operated in a devastating partnership, exploiting the pitch and the pressure. Cheteshwar Pujara was dismissed for a duck, followed by opener Mayank Agarwal, who top-scored with a mere 9 runs. Vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane also fell for a duck, leaving the scoreboard in tatters at 15/5. The backbone of the Indian batting had been shattered within a few overs.
No Hope, No Resistance
Captain Virat Kohli, who had scored a patient 74 in the first innings, walked in with the immense responsibility of staging a recovery. However, Cummins produced a stunning delivery to claim Kohli's wicket, effectively ending India's last realistic hope. From there, it was a procession. Josh Hazlewood ran through the lower order, finishing with astonishing figures of 5 wickets for just 8 runs in 5 overs. Cummins complemented him with 4/21.
The dismal score of 36 broke India's 46-year-old record lowest of 42, made against England at Lord's in 1974. To add to the misery, Mohammed Shami retired hurt after being struck by a Cummins bouncer, ending the innings. From a position of strength, India had set Australia a paltry target of 90 runs, which the hosts chased down with ease on the same day, winning by 8 wickets to take a 1-0 series lead.
From Humiliation to Historic Triumph
The Adelaide debacle could have broken the spirit of any team, especially with skipper Virat Kohli departing for India after the match for personal reasons. Under the stand-in leadership of Ajinkya Rahane, however, Team India scripted one of the most remarkable turnarounds in sporting history. They bounced back with an 8-wicket victory in Melbourne, fought valiantly to draw the Sydney Test, and then sealed an unforgettable series win with a 3-wicket triumph at the Gabba in Brisbane.
This against-all-odds 2-1 series victory not only helped fans move past the Adelaide horror but also secured India's second consecutive Test series win on Australian soil. The journey from the depths of 36 all out to the pinnacle of a historic series win in a matter of weeks remains a testament to the team's resilience and character. While the score of 36 is a permanent scar in the record books, the redemption story that followed is what truly defines that legendary tour.
