Rohit Sharma and co. thumped in Adelaide as Australia break own record to complete shortest-ever Test win against India

India and Australia played out their shortest ever Test match at the Adelaide Oval, lasting only 171.5 overs.

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy is tied at 1-1 after Australia completed a resounding 10-wicket victory over India in a match that is officially the shortest contested between the two teams in terms of deliveries bowled. With Australia completing the 19-run chase within the first session on day three at the Adelaide Oval, the match lasted just 1031 deliveries, or 171.5 overs.

Australia skipper Pat Cummins' five-fer at the Adelaide Oval helped Australia seal the win within 7 sessions to level the series at 1-1.(AFP)

India’s two short innings, in which they were bundled out for 180 and 175, as well as Travis Head’s near run-a-ball player of the match performance with 140 on his home ground, meant the match progressed at great speeds from the off.

This Test breaks the record taken over by the match played in Indore in 2023, which lasted 1135 deliveries. That match was also a comfortable chase for Australia, as they won by nine wickets having bowled India out for 109 and 163 in their two innings, themselves only managing 197 in the first innings. While that Indore pitch was derided being a minefield for spinners, allowing Nathan Lyon to take 8 wickets in India’s second innings, this match in Adelaide was dominated by Australia’s seamers as Mitchell Starc took 6 wickets in the first innings and skipper Pat Cummins provided a 5-fer of his own in the second.

These are the only two matches to take under 200 overs for completion between India and Australia. The infamous Adelaide Test match in 2020, which included India’s 36 all-out, took 1246 deliveries after a fairly regulation first innings by both teams, while the matches at Perth in 2012 and Mumbai in 2004 took 1200 and 1213 deliveries respectively. The match in Mumbai is the only one of the five won by India, as they took a narrow 13-run victory at the Wankhede on that occasion.

Series heads to Brisbane at 1-1

Australia’s win in Adelaide means the two teams will travel to the Gabba in Brisbane knowing it’s a must-win match. Both Tests have been fairly routine victories towards the end for the sides, with the result being more or less decided by the time the fourth innings has rolled around. Australia will want to continue their momentum from Adelaide, while India will want to keep the memories of the Gabba 2021 alive as they prepare for another important match in Brisbane.