Adelaide: With shock and amazement, the cricket fraternity reacted to the nightmare that the Indian team endured in broad daylight before crumbling to its lowest-ever Test score of 36 here on Saturday.
India’s much-vaunted batting line-up was blown away by the menacing pace duo of Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood as Australia recorded a convincing eight-wicket win inside two and half days in the opening Day/Night Test.
“The OTP to forget is 49204084041,” former India opener Virender Sehwag tweeted in reference to the batsmen’s sequence of scores in the second innings.
None of the Indian batsmen managed to reach double digits.
Sehwag’s idol, Sachin Tendulkar, conceded India were outclassed.
“With the way India batted & bowled in the 1st innings, they were in the driver’s seat, but the Aussies came back really hard this morning.
“That is the beauty of Test cricket. It’s NEVER over till it’s over. India was outclassed in the 2nd half. Congratulations to Australia!” Tendulkar wrote.
India’s previous lowest Test score was 42 against England at the Lord’s in 1974.
Batting great Sunil Gavaskar felt the Australian pacers were brilliant.
“… It’s not fair to blame the Indian batsmen for the way they got out because it was just simply superb bowling by the Australian bowlers,” Gavaskar told Channel Seven.
While pointing out the current batsmen’s defensive frailties, former batsmen Sanjay Manjrekar observed, “36 will no doubt be looked at in isolation & should be too, but here’s India’s totals in last 3 Tests (2 in NZ) when the ball has moved around – 165, 191, 242, 124,244,36”.
“Clearly India needs to improve its defensive skills. Easier said than done in today’s environment.”
Australian spin legend Shane Warne said, “Wow!! What a bowling display that was from Pat Cummins & Josh Hazlewood here in Adelaide. Just outstanding.
“Have to feel for the Indian batsman as never saw that coming – it was one of those days where the batsman nicked everything & didn’t play and miss at all ! Unbelievable…”
David Warner, who missed the four-match series opener due to a groin injury, was delighted with the result that gave his team a 1-0 lead in the rubber.
“Unreal win by the lads today, bowlers what an effort today!! Simply unbelievable day of cricket,” Warner wrote.
After the abject surrender, former England skipper Michael Vaughan remarked, “Told ya … India are going to get hammered in the Test Series.”
