NAGPUR: On February 11, 1981, chasing 143 runs at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia were bowled out for 83, their lowest total in a Test innings against India. Kapil Dev claimed a five-for as India levelled the three-match series 1-1 with the win. The record still stands.
Exactly 42 years later, India served yet another ignominy to the Aussies. This time the current number 1 side in the format were bowled out for 91, their lowest total in a Test innings on Indian soil.
The thrashing by an innings and 132 runs on Saturday in the first Test of the four-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy also means the hosts have taken a step forward in their quest for a berth in the World Test Championship final scheduled in June.
Playing in Indian conditions against top-class spinners like R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja has always been a difficult proposition and only a few teams have managed to come out unscathed once they were thrown into the battlefield. Australia are one among the few. The most recent case is their famous 333-run win in the Pune Test back in 2017. On a dry, turning pitch, the visitors had handed the hosts their first Test defeat at home since 2012.
So, when a slow and dry surface was rolled out at the VCA Stadium, Jamtha in Nagpur, the Pat Cummins-led side was expected to be competitive. But as it turned out, they were annihilated inside three days and their second innings couldn't even last a session.
What went wrong and the Australian captain's response was, "Hard to know." Elaborating further, he said: "That will be the review in the next few days. I think everyone came with pretty clear plans. I think the challenge is under the furnace to be brave enough to be proactive at the time. That will be the conversations over the next couple of days. We faced some pretty tough bowlers at times."
Ashwin's spell
Once India were bowled out for 400 two minutes before lunch, the last thing Australia needed was a meltdown. But their worst fear came true as Ashwin tormented their batters with his trickery, claiming 5/37 in his 12 overs in the process, to force them to surrender meekly. Jadeja and Mohammed Shami scalped two wickets apiece while Axar Patel bagged one.
Australia's match aggregate of 268 from the contest is their lowest in a Test against India when bowled out twice. The previous lowest came in the 2004 Mumbai Test when they were bundled out for 203 and 93.
After the loss, Steven Smith, Australia's vice-captain, admitted while talking to the official broadcaster that they batted poorly in the first innings. He also wanted batters to be more proactive to put pressure back on the bowlers. Cummins agreed with his deputy. "Potentially. I think that's fair. You saw Smithy and Alex Carey at times put the pressure back on the bowlers. I think it takes a bit of bravery, it's easier said than done. If you're just facing ball after ball and the bowler's pretty good, you're going to get one with your name on it. Again, that will be the conversation this week. If we get the same conditions, same bowlers, what are we going to do differently? I think at times probably being more proactive."
Earlier, in order to stay in the game, Australia needed to bowl out their opponents, who had already taken a 144-run lead by Day 2, as quickly as possible. They had Jadeja (70) early but Axar (84) added 52 and 20 runs with Shami and Mohammed Siraj to take the lead to 223.
With a formidable lead, the pressure was on Australia and it only increased as India captain Rohit Sharma decided to start the proceedings with Shami and Ashwin, who delivered in the very fifth ball of his first over. He had opener Usman Khawaja caught at slip to start the slide. From thereon, neither Ashwin nor the slide stopped leaving Australia with a lot to ponder ahead of the second Test starting in Delhi on February 17.