December 19, 2020. The day began with some fond memories. It was the fourth anniversary of India notching up their highest total in Test cricket. Against the visiting English side, India rode on Karun Nair's triple century to pile up 759 for seven in the Chennai Test.
The spirits were high in the Indian camp this morning as they had piled up a lead against Australia. One good session and India would be eying another Test win at Adelaide. All India managed was 36, the lowest total in their cricketing chronicles.
But this isn’t the only odd coincidence with dates that a Virat Kohli-led side has encountered.
On April 23, 2013, the Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) slammed 263 for five in an IPL match against Pune Warriors India (PWI). Till date, the score sits at the pinnacle in the list of highest scores in the IPL. Chris Gayle’s 175 not out remains the highest score in an innings in a T20 and also the fastest century.
Exactly four years later, on April 23, 2017, Kohli’s RCB were bundled out for 49 in a match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). This remains the lowest team total in the history of IPL.
Trivia: It was the 51st anniversary of India’s entry into Test cricket when they won the World Cup on June 25, 1983. India played their first-ever Test at Lord’s, the very same venue where they won the World Cup.
However, this is about India's humiliation in Adelaide. Many new records were written that will keep reminding India of this embarrassment.
The new low: 36 is India’s lowest ever score in Test cricket. Their previous lowest was 42 against England in 1974. Both the innings came during the third innings of the Test and saw India lose nine wickets.
Never in Test cricket has a side been bowled out with all batsmen and extras not touching the double-digit mark. Mayank Agarwal's 9 was India's highest score in the innings. The last instance when all 11 batters failed to reach double figures in a Test innings was in 1924. South Africa were bowled out for 30 by England at Edgbaston.
India's 36 is the lowest Test total in the 21st century.
Kohli’s century-meter comes to a pause: Kohli debuted for India in 2008. He played 5 ODIs in Sri Lanka that year and failed to score a hundred. Ever since 2008, there hasn’t been a calendar year where Kohli hasn’t scored a century. Between 2009 and 2019, he has piled up 70 international centuries, the third most by any cricketer after Sachin Tendulkar (100) and Ricky Ponting (71).
Kohli’s debuted for Delhi in 2006. He played 5 First-Class matches and 1 List A game that year. In his career as a professional cricketer, 2020 is the first year since 2006 that he hasn’t scored a hundred in any format.
Kohli, run out and Adelaide: In the first innings of the Test, Kohli was run out for 74. It was only the second time that Kohli was dismissed run out in Test cricket. The first instance, too, came at Adelaide during the 2011-12 tour. It was the same Test where Kohli announced himself against the red ball by slamming his maiden Test hundred.
Kohli-toss love affair ends: This is the first time that Kohli has lost a Test after winning the toss. In the previous 25 occasions where he won the toss, he ended up winning 21 Tests while four ended in a draw.
Rahane and run-out involvement: It was Ajinkya Rahane’s call that led to Kohli’s run out. Until 2019, Rahane had not been involved in a single run out in 63 Tests and 202 partnerships. Come 2020, and he has been involved in two in three Tests. In the first occasion, he had run out his partner Rishabh Pant in the Wellington Test.
Agarwal’s 1,000: Agarwal will be remembered for being India's highest scorer in the record 36. He scored 25 per cent of the innings' runs. In doing so, he brought up 1,000 runs in Tests. The Karnataka opener, who got off to an excellent start in Test cricket after debuting in the Melbourne Test of 2018-19, reached his 1,000th run in his 19th innings, becoming the third-fastest Indian to the milestone. Vinod Kambli and Cheteshwar Pujara reached to the mark in their 14th and 18th innings respectively.
Cummins’ record 150-club: World’s No.1 Test bowler Pat Cummins became the joint second-fastest Australian to reach the 150-wicket mark in Test cricket. He shares the feat with Dennis Lillee, Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill, who had all taken 31 Tests to reach to the milestone. Leg-spinner Clarrie Grimmett reached the mark in his 28th Test.
Englishman Sydney Barnes, arguably the greatest bowler of all-time, holds the record for the fastest to the 150-wicket club. Barnes took 24 Tests to reach to the mark.
Among the contemporary bowlers, Kagiso Rabada has also reached the feat in his 31st Test. Indian spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja have got to the mark in their 29th and 32nd Tests respectively.
Hazlewood’s record five-for: It just took Josh Hazlewood 25 balls to claim his five-for. Ernie Toshack (vs India in Brisbane 1947-48) and Stuart Broad (vs Australia in Trent Bridge 2015) have taken the least number of balls to reach the milestone. They claimed their feats in 19 balls respectively.
Hazlewood’s feat is the joint fifth-quickest. Toshack had figures of 5 for 2, whereas Hazlewood registered 5 for 8.
Australia and day-night Tests: Australia are yet to lose a day-night Test. They have won all eight that they have played.
