On 23 January 1782, Suffren gave him command of the recently captured 50-gun "Petit Annibal". On 13 February, he exchanged his command with that of Morard de Galles and transferred on the 40-gun frigate "Pourvoyeuse". In the run-up to the Battle of Sadras, tasked with escorting a convoy, Ruyter failed to maintain formation and, when the British attacked it, to come to its rescue. Ruyter lost contact with Suffren's squadron and returned to Puducherry, which had been chosen as a rendez-vous point in case ships got separated.