Let’s talk about rock bottom. Not just a bad day at the office, but a full-scale, jaw-dropping, record-shattering collapse. On December 19, 2020, India, fresh off a gritty first-innings lead, was unceremoniously bundled out for just 36 runs in their second innings against Australia in Adelaide . It was a score so low, so humiliating, that it instantly became etched in cricketing infamy as India’s lowest-ever Test total .
Yet, this wasn’t the end of the story. It was the bizarre, almost paradoxical, beginning of something legendary. How did a team shatter its own record for failure and still go on to conquer one of the toughest frontiers in world cricket? Buckle up, because this isn’t just a tale of despair—it’s a masterclass in resilience.
Table of Contents
- The Buildup and First Innings
- The Collapse: ‘India 36 All Out’ Horror Unfolds
- The Architects of Destruction: Hazlewood and Cummins
- The Turning Point: Leadership in Crisis
- The Remarkable Comeback: A Series for the Ages
- Lessons from the Abyss
- Conclusion
- Sources
The Buildup and First Innings: A Test of Promise
The first-ever Test of the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy was a day-night affair, played with the pink ball—a format where Australia had been virtually unbeatable. The anticipation was sky-high . India, led by Virat Kohli, was no pushover. They had arrived with a strong, experienced side eager to script history on Australian soil.
The opening days delivered. India posted a competitive 244 in their first innings, powered by a stellar 74 from Kohli himself . In response, Australia was bundled out for 191, handing India a crucial 53-run lead . The narrative was set: a tight, tense, and gripping contest was unfolding. India had the upper hand, and the cricketing world braced for a classic battle of attrition.
The Collapse: ‘India 36 All Out’ Horror Unfolds
Then, came Day 3. What followed was not just a loss of wickets; it was a spectacular, almost surreal, implosion. India’s vaunted batting lineup, a blend of youth and experience, simply disintegrated.
From a position of relative comfort, the innings spiralled into chaos at breakneck speed. In a brutal, 21.2-over session, the entire Indian team was sent packing. The final scorecard read a humiliating India 36 all out . It wasn’t just a loss; it was a record, shattering the previous lowest of 42 set against England way back in 1974 .
The Adelaide Oval, usually a picturesque ground, became a theatre of nightmares for Indian fans. Every wicket felt like a body blow, culminating in a target of just 90 for the hosts—a target Australia chased down with 8 wickets to spare .
The Architects of Destruction: Hazlewood and Cummins
While the Indian batsmen deserve immense criticism for their shot selection and mindset, credit must go to a pair of Australian pace bowlers who were simply unplayable. Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins delivered a spell for the ages .
Hazlewood, with his metronomic line and lethal seam movement, was in a different zone. His figures of 5 for 8 in 5.3 overs were not just economical; they were devastating . Cummins, breathing fire with the pink ball, was the perfect foil, chipping in with 4 for 21 . Together, they claimed 9 of the 10 wickets, turning a tight Test on its head in a matter of hours .
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Hazlewood | 5.3 | 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Pat Cummins | 7.0 | 4 | 21 | 4 |
The Turning Point: Leadership in Crisis
The immediate aftermath was bleak. Virat Kohli, who had led the team in the first Test, departed for paternity leave. The captain’s armband was passed to the calm and composed Ajinkya Rahane. Many saw it as mission impossible. How do you pick up a team whose confidence has been pulverised?
Rahane’s response was a masterclass in quiet, understated leadership . He didn’t dwell on the past. He focused on process, belief, and the collective spirit of the side. In Melbourne, for the Boxing Day Test, he led from the front, scoring a magnificent 112 in the first innings . That century wasn’t just runs; it was a statement of intent, a psychological reset for the entire team.
The Remarkable Comeback: A Series for the Ages
Fuelled by Rahane’s leadership, the comeback began:
- Melbourne (2nd Test): India bounced back emphatically, bowling Australia out for 200 and 204 to win by 8 wickets, levelling the series 1-1 .
- Sydney (3rd Test): In a fiercely contested match, India’s resilience was on full display as they fought out a heroic draw, famously holding on with just a handful of wickets in hand .
- Brisbane (4th Test): The final act was pure theatre. A severely depleted Indian side, missing almost all its first-choice bowlers and key batsmen, travelled to the Gabba—a fortress where Australia hadn’t lost in 32 years. Against all odds, they chased down 328 in the fourth innings, sealing the series 2-1 . This victory is widely regarded as one of the greatest in Indian cricket history .
The contrast is staggering. From the absolute nadir of 36 all out to a historic series win on Australian soil. It’s a narrative arc that feels more like fiction than sport, yet it happened.
Lessons from the Abyss
The ‘India 36 all out’ episode teaches us invaluable lessons about sport and life:
- Depth Matters: The series win wasn’t just about the stars; it was about the emergence of heroes like Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, and the bowling heroics of a makeshift attack.
- Mindset is Everything: The ability to completely erase a traumatic memory and refocus is a rare, elite skill. Rahane and his team exhibited it in spades.
- Pressure is a Privilege: While the Adelaide collapse was a failure under pressure, the subsequent wins were triumphs forged in the same crucible.
Conclusion
So, was December 19, 2020, a day of unmitigated horror for Indian cricket? Absolutely. The India 36 all out scoreline is a permanent, painful asterisk in the record books. But it’s also a powerful reminder that failure is not the end; it’s often the catalyst for the most extraordinary rebirths. The 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy wasn’t just a series win; it was a testament to the unbreakable spirit of a team that stared into the abyss and chose to fight back, one gritty run, one defiant wicket, at a time. Five years on, the horror of Adelaide is remembered not for the 36, but for the incredible 2-1 that followed it.
Sources
- Recalling India’s horror of 36 all-out in Adelaide in 2020. Times of India.
- Virat Kohli’s team bowled out for 36 in Adelaide defeat. BBC Sport.
- Australia beat India, Australia won by 8 wickets. ESPNcricinfo.
- Stats – India hit record low with 36 all out. ESPNcricinfo.
- India’s 2020/21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy Heroes. ESPNcricinfo.
- India tour of Australia, 2020-21. ESPNcricinfo.
- Ajinkya Rahane’s captaincy in the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Various Cricket Analysts.
- Virat Kohli’s team bowled out for 36 in Adelaide defeat. BBC Sport.
- On This Day In 2020: India Bowled Out For 36 By Australia. NDTV Sports.
- Cricket: India shot out for 36 as Australia win opening Test. Reuters.