‘This is absurd’: India’s extraordinary collapse leaves Twitter in disbelief

The Indian cricket team on Saturday suffered the ignominy of being restricted to its lowest ever total in Test cricket, collapsing to 36/9 in the terminated second innings against Australia on the third morning of the first Day/Night Test.

India’s earlier lowest score was 42 at the Lord’s in 1974 against England, known in Indian cricket parlance as “Summer of 42”.

After a decent 53-run first innings lead, India suffered a humiliating defeat with only 89 runs to defend.

At one stage, India were reduced to 26/8 and looked like equalling the lowest ever Test score (26 by New Zealand) but Hanuma Vihari’s boundary helped them evade entry into the dark pages of cricketing history.

Reactions to India’s extraordinary collapse to 36 all out ranged from disbelief, humour to reasoning and analysis. Here are some of them that encapsulated a memorable afternoon of Test cricket.

I woke up & saw the score 369. I couldn’t believe it.
Then i washed my eyes and saw the score 36/9.
I couldn’t believe it either & went back to sleep. ????????????
Video aa rahi hai.#INDvAUS #INDvsAUSTest

— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) December 19, 2020

The OTP to forget this is 49204084041 .#INDvsAUSTest

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) December 19, 2020

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…

— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) December 19, 2020

Congratulations to Josh Hazelwood on taking 200 Test Wickets. Intelligence combined with pace, bounce, control & consistency. So proud of you mate #fastbowler #FBC #200wickets #ausvind https://t.co/Eq5bqGVeD8

— Glenn McGrath (@glennmcgrath11) December 19, 2020

An amazing arvo of cricket as told by the Adelaide Oval scoreboard #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/nXtnuXBKTH

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 19, 2020

Same pitch. same day. India 27/8 Australia 47/0 and counting! #AUSvIND

— Gautam Bhimani (@gbhimani) December 19, 2020

Pitch has misbehaved slightly in only one of the 29 dismissals thus far. The one that kept low to Labuchange yesterday. #JustSaying #AusvInd

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) December 19, 2020