It might be cold comfort for shocked Indian fans, but I, too, am gob-smacked by what happened in the first session of the third day at Adelaide. With a handy lead and nine wickets in hand, it all seemed stacked in India’s favour. Till play began.

There are days when you play and miss all day, and then there are days when every batsman manages to nick it, and that’s exactly what happened for the Indians on Saturday. It was fast bowling of the highest class and while some batsmen were done in by their indifferent shot selection, nothing should be taken away from the sustained pace and accuracy the Australia’s pacers put on display.

The big talking point when this Test match comes up will be that it is the lowest total in Tests for India. The score of 36 for 9 is going to be etched in Indian memory for some time and it is important that the visitors find a way to get past this.

Looking back at the first innings, I would think that the seemingly slow batting from Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli was, in fact, superb defensive batting. That was what India failed to replicate in the second innings. In the first innings it had seemed that India were not looking for scoring opportunities, but Kohli’s masterclass of concentration alongside Pujara and later Ajinkya Rahane is what ensured that India reached 244.

In both innings, Prithvi Shaw’s early dismissal put the team on the backfoot. Shaw was part of the team during the last India series here, and there has been plenty of hype and build-up around the youngster. This has also meant that his technique has been scrutinised and there was a clear plan to exploit the gap between his bat and pad that is a matter of concern for the youngster. Shaw has also been prone to expansive shots which might backfire in Australian conditions, because he will be liable to edging one to gully. While he is a talented youngster, his performance will put the selectors in a dilemma as they plan for the Boxing Day Test.

India can take some heart from their bowling performance, and I do hope Mohammed Shami recovers before Melbourne, else that would be a severe blow to their pace bowling. At Adelaide they were exceedingly good, even though their excellence was eclipsed by the Australian pace trio on Saturday. It also needs to be noted that India’s efforts on the field proved very costly in the final analysis. A particularly important moment was when Mayank Agarwal dropped Tim Paine. Had he hung on to that chance Australia would have been 111 for 8 and ended up with a lot less than the 191 they finally scored.

Catching was an area where Australia were truly exceptional. Paine was superb behind the stumps in both innings, with just one hot half-chance going begging on the first day a few overs before stumps. At the time I had thought that if he can get his hand to that one, he must be moving well. His captaincy, handling of the pacers and his crucial knock in the first innings were all critical to Australia moving to a 1-0 lead in the series. It is also important to praise the way the openers came out to chase the target of 90. Very often, batting seems tricky when you see the opposition collapse. By ensuring no early wickets fell, Matthew Wade and Joe Burns led a calm, composed run chase.

India go into this break with many challenges. Kohli, who was simply stellar in the first innings, goes back home for his paternity break. It will be hard for him to see the team dejected and dispirited after the loss, but I hope Indian fans will realise that their captain has made his decision and will be back soon to serve his team. A personal milestone versus playing for one’s team is always a tough call. Kohli has made his call and made it well ahead of the series, so it is important to respect that decision.

I would like to end with a special word for Australia’s pacers, who bowled with amazing accuracy and intent on a wicket that seemed to have quickened just enough to trouble the batsmen. The patchy bits of grass and the quickness were all there, but Josh Hazlewood, Mitch Starc and Pat Cummins bowled one of the unforgettable spells of sustained pace bowling in Test cricket. Cummins had been given a break during the white ball season and seems to have returned fresher, and from the opposition’s point of view, deadlier. He has crossed 150 Test wickets faster than a certain Glenn McGrath and seems destined for many more.