“We kept hearing thunderous applause at the Adelaide Oval” - R Sridhar narrates interesting tale featuring Rishabh Pant about “36 all out”

Team India’s former fielding coach R Sridhar has narrated an amusing anecdote from Day 3 of the 2020-21 Adelaide Test, in which India succumbed to 36 all out in their second innings.

Sridhar recalled that since Rishabh Pant was not picked for the Test, he was involved in some keeping practice with the former. However, both were distracted by the constant applause coming from the Adelaide Oval.

After being bowled out for 244 in the first innings, Team India did well to claw back into the contest, dismissing Australia for 191 in response. However, the Test ended in massive embarrassment for the visitors as they were bundled out for 36 on Day 3.

India decided to go in with Wriddhiman Saha as the keeper-batter ahead of Pant for the Adelaide Test. Spilling the beans about how he came to know about the team’s spectacular batting collapse, Sridhar told Cricket.com:

“On Day 3 morning, when wickets kept tumbling, Pant and I were outside on the practice pitches, working on keeping to balls that turn out of roughs. And we kept hearing loud ‘oohs’; thunderous applause at the Adelaide Oval. We both were like, ‘hope it’s not a wicket’.”

Since the frequency of the noise was surprisingly consistent, the duo decided to call off their practice session and check what was actually happening in the Test. They were stunned. Sridhar added:

“So, after 20 minutes, we aborted the session and went running inside the stadium to see the score. And we are like 20-odd for 7 (26/7).”

India were 36 for nine, but Mohammed Shami had to retire hurt and was subsequently ruled out of the Test series.

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“We realized that we did not have a left-hander in the top 6” - R Sridhar on Pant inclusion

Following a horror showing in the first Test, Team India decided to drop Saha and bring in Pant for the remaining Tests. Sridhar explained that it was a tactical move and not a knee-jerk reaction. He elaborated:

“We realized that we did not have a left-hander in the top 6. We had all right-handers; Ravindra Jadeja was injured for the 1st Test. We got Pant ready. He played from the second Test match. Rest, as they say, is history.”

The young keeper-batter smashed a counter-attacking 97 off 118 balls in the Sydney Test as India escaped with a draw. He then came up with an iconic 89* at the Gabba as India registered a historic three-wicket triumph.