Surviving Adelaide: How India should respond to the implosion against Australia

ANAND DATLA: Players and management must feed on the atrocious morning that led to the humiliating first Test defeat if they're to turn the series around

The opportunity to don whites and take the crease, even if only for a fleeting moment, is a matter of great pride.

It is the result of hours of hard work, and a relentless commitment to building muscle memory. Last week, for India's batsmen, all that effort came to nought.

As #36AllOut trends across social media timelines, it is easy to forget that only a couple of days earlier, this was the team of warriors who soaked up praise for holding firm against a potent Australian attack on a deceptively juicy patch at the Adelaide Oval: enough to snag a 53-run first innings advantage.

But then their world crumbled in the madness of a morning which will be hard to forget. 

The inquisitions began as soon as Virat Kohli, Test cricket's pre-eminent batsman, sliced a cover drive to gully. At 19 for 6 India were clearly staring down a dark corridor. By the end of that dizzying session, they had walked blindly down it. 

Amid the sullying banter that followed, there was at least one voice of sanity. And it belonged to an old man who knows a thing or two about batting. 

36, India's lowest Test score: A remarkable collapse in numbers

"Any team that is all out for its lowest Test score, that's never good to see. But if any other team had been facing that kind of bowling, they would have also got out, maybe not all out for 36, maybe 72 or 80-90. The way Hazelwood and Cummins bowled, and the earlier three-over spell from Starc, they asked a lot of questions," said Sunil Gavaskar, trying to bring perspective during his stint on Channel 7.

"So 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."

It is a good reminder to celebrate a disciplined probing spell of bowling by a troika of Australian bowlers at the top of their game. Mitchell Starc caused a flutter among a nervy flock of Indian pigeons with a potent if wicketless burst. Pat Cummins and Josh Hazelwood trampled upon India's nerves to wreak havoc. The procession was hard to bear if you were an Indian fan, but it must have been unspeakably voyeuristic even for the most seasoned connoisseur of Australian cricket.

Now is not the time for India to dwell, however, because the debacle in Adelaide presents a golden opportunity for self-reflection ahead of the Boxing Day duel in Melbourne.

Admittedly, missing Virat Kohli and Mohammed Shami is going to weigh on the team, clearly hurting from the absence of two Sharmas - Ishant and Rohit. But this is just the kind of strife that affords meaning to the character of men like Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane. The latter will have three Test matches to display not just the technique that is a cornerstone of his batting, but also leadership qualities in lifting a beleaguered team from the grimy trenches. 

Among his first tasks as a leader will be to ponder over selection for Melbourne. Rahane has some intriguing options. KL Rahul will step into the void left by Kohli. Will he pad up and wait or will he walk out with Mayank Agarwal? Shubman Gill, who could likely replace Prithvi Shaw, also presents the choice of playing at the top or in the middle of the order. The more difficult question, though, surrounds the wicketkeeper.

^{Virat Kohli will not be around to help India turn the series around}

Wriddhiman Saha has barely looked comfortable with the bat, which could bring Rishabh Pant into contention for the second Test. Kohli’s absence is about to leave a gaping hole, but drawing Ravindra Jadeja into the mix could afford the Indian team not only a competent batsman but more importantly a potent bowling option, especially towards the deep end of the Test.

The injury to Shami, who is reported to have broken his arm, opens the door for the inclusion of Shadul Thakur or T Natarajan. In Melbourne, though, it is likely that Rahane will pick between Navdeep Saini and Mohammed Siraj. 

Regardless, the pace bowling department is fragile and Shami’s absence will only deepen the void of Ishant Sharma's absence. Solving the jigsaw should distract Rahane from what happened in Adelaide.

There is a need for a fundamental reassessment, however, and longer-term reflection seems a necessity. The second-innings collapse in Adelaide should only catalyse these thought processes, forcing the BCCI to take a more constructive view on the significance of the domestic first-class season and structure. 

Irrespective of the horror of an international team being dismissed for a paltry 36, it is merely a lingering symptom that continues to be disregarded by the powers in Indian cricket, perhaps drunk on the increasingly apparent commercial weight of white-ball cricket, particularly the T20 format.

As we debate our choices for Melbourne and this series, hundreds of cricketers in India are looking into a vacuum. The domestic season is in disarray and there is neither urgency nor clarity about the plans for 2021. 

It is certain now that the domestic season will begin with the Mushtaq Ali T20 on January 10. It is understood that the BCCI has asked its members whether they wish to conduct the Vijay Hazare Trophy or the Ranji Trophy, apparently an email referendum of sorts. It is a confusing choice to offer, though, as the former is a limited-overs competition while the latter is the more significant longer version of the game. Money speaks louder than method, and there needn’t be any surprise if the members decide to host the Vijay Hazare matches at the expense of the Ranji Trophy.

Beyond the immediate weeks and months, decisions such as these can only magnify matters in Adelaide. 

Both Agarwal and Shaw suffered in the first Test, paying the price for their tentativeness of toe. Some may suggest that the lingering effects of T20 cricket, especially the IPL, are visible to the naked eye. And it is not just the openers that are victims to it.

Test match cricket remains a central element of the sport. And it is important that a powerhouse like India make the necessary investments to support and nurture a domestic circuit that can continue to produce a pipeline of meaningful talent that can flourish beyond the glitz and glamour of the shorter forms of cricket.

A morning like the one witnessed in Adelaide does not need any amplification. But it is a good opportunity for Indian cricket to dig deep and nourish its soul. And the players to renew their commitment to this bruising battle against an irrepressible Australian squad.

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