Australia have robbed India and won the first Day-Night Test at the Adelaide Oval pretty comfortably in the end by 8 wickets, chasing the target in just 21 overs.
India were in a strong position after the second day's play on the back of an outstanding bowling performance. But, one bad session and all the advantage was let to slip up. Australia started the Day 3 without giving any of the Indian batsmen any room or freebies and the visitors kept knicking every ball.
India, on the back of skipper Virat Kohli's determined 74 and a couple of 40s from Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane each, reached 244 in their first innings, which at first looked a below par total against a fearsome Australian batting line-up.
However, India's bowlers helped the visitors to storm back into the contest.
'Pain-e' helped reduce the Trail
Only skipper Tim Paine defied India's bowling attack as he played an unbeaten knock of 73. The 36-year old mixed aggression, intent and kept the Indian bowlers at bay to construct a magnificent innings that in the end proved to be a match-winning one.
Ravichandran Ashwin inspired the comeback picking up four wickets which included the most important one of the World's No 1 batsman, Steve Smith. India didn't allow Australia to stitch any partnership as Umesh Yadav broke the Labuschagne-Paine stand of 32 runs and reduced Australia to 111/7.
However, Paine found partners in his tail and took Australia to 191. India gained a 53-run lead and had a chance to build on that lead to gain a massive seccond innings advantage and set an almost impossible target for Australia to chase.
A Telephone Number - unwanted records
But, that remained just a theory as India's batters fell like nine pins and their scores read like a Telephone number. As, none of the Indian batters could reach a score of double figures, only the 2nd time in Test match history.
Josh Hazlewood - the wrecker in-chief - for the hosts, took a fifer and completed 200 wickets in Test matches.
Mohammed Shami couldn't bat after he was hit on his hand and looked in serious pain. This meant that India finished on 36/9, their lowest ever Test score in the history, 6 runs less than their previous lowest score of 42 against England at the Lord's in 1974.
This was also the joint 5th-lowest total in the history of Test cricket.
As easy as it gets
The small total of 90 runs was never going to be enough. Australia lost a couple of wickets but the out-of-touch Joe Burns suddenly found his feet and form as he smashed an unbeaten half-century and Australia chased down the total inside 21 overs.
Team India, will now have to forget this abysmal performance and a horrendous day as they look to come back into the series without Virat Kohli, which in itself is a body blow to their chances.
Both teams will now face each other in the Boxing Day Test at the Mlebourne Cricket Ground (MCG) from December 26.
