India's high-flying campaign in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) came crashing down on Thursday (October 17) as they got bundled out for just 46 runs in the first innings of the first Test in Bengaluru. Notably, this is the lowest total registered by a team in a Test innings in India.
India have shattered New Zealand's record to create a new all-time record for the lowest score registered by a team in Tests in India. New Zealand had previously scored 62 against India in December 2021 and it was the lowest total registered by a team in a Test innings in India before the carnage inflicted by the Kiwi bowlers on the Rohit Sharma-led side on Thursday.
Lowest innings totals in Test cricket in India
| Team |
Opposition |
Score |
Venue |
Year |
| India |
New Zealand |
46 |
Bengaluru |
2024 |
| New Zealand |
India |
62 |
Wankhede |
2021 |
| India |
West Indies |
75 |
Delhi |
1987 |
| India |
South Africa |
76 |
Ahmedabad |
2008 |
| South Africa |
India |
79 |
Nagpur |
2015 |
Matt Henry was the wrecker-in-chief for the Kiwis alongside Will O'Rourke. Henry claimed a five-wicket haul and reduced India's batting order to dust. Henry also completed 100 wickets in Tests during his spell and became the joint-second fastest Kiwi to register the landmark after Sir Richard Hadlee and Neil Wagner. Henry scaled the milestone in his 26th Test.
He was ably supported by fellow pacer O'Rourke as he snared four scalps and finished with figures of 4/22.
India may rue their decision to bat first as the wicket turned out to be highly favourable for seamers. Skipper Rohit Sharma was the first wicket to fall on day two after the entire first day got washed out due to persistent drizzle. Once Rohit fell, India's batting order crumbled like a house of cards.
New Zealand (Playing XI):
Tom Latham (c), Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell (wk), Glenn Phillips, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, Ajaz Patel, William ORourke
India (Playing XI):
Rohit Sharma (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
