India were bowled out for their lowest score at home in Test cricket in the first innings in Bengaluru against New Zealand (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)
It was a sensational day of Test cricket in Bengaluru on Thursday. After Day 1 was washed out completely due to rain, Day 2 witnessed the worst performance by an Indian batting unit at home in their Test history! The ghost of Adelaide, 2020 returned – India were routed for 36 in the second innings which remains their lowest score ever in Test cricket. But this was much worse as this happened in their own den, on home soil where they have been virtually invincible in the last 12 years. And there was no Pink Ball to deal with. Just some high-quality fast bowling by the New Zealand trio of Tim Southee, Matt Henry and William O’Rourke coupled with him poor application by the Indian batters.
RG looks at some of the numbers that define India’s shocking performance with the bat on Day 2 in Bengaluru.
46 – The lowest total for Team India at home in Test cricket
India were routed for 46 in the first innings on Day 2 in Bengaluru. It is the lowest total for them at home in their Test history! Overall, it is the third-lowest total for India in Test cricket after Adelaide, 2020 (36) and Lord’s, 1974 (42). The previous lowest total for India at home was 75 when Patrick Patterson and Winston Davis ran through the line-up in Delhi in 1987.
India’s 46 is also the lowest total by a home team in 69 years! New Zealand were skittled for 26 by England in Auckland in 1955! Overall, it is the seventh-lowest total by a home team in Test cricket.
31.2 overs – The fifth least overs faced by India in an innings at home
India were bundled out in just 31.2 overs on Day 2 in Bengaluru – which essentially means that they were dismissed in a single session! The 31.2 overs are the fifth-least number of overs faced by India in a Test innings at home. India were bowled out for 76 in 20 overs against South Africa in Ahmedabad in 2008 – they remain the least number of overs in a completed innings for India at home in Test cricket!
13 – It was the 13th instance when at least 9 Indian batters have been dismissed for a single-digit score in an innings
As many as 9 Indian batters were dismissed before reaching 10 in the first innings in Bengaluru. It was the 13th such occasion for India when nine (or more) of their batters have been dismissed for a single-digit score in a Test innings! Only Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant reached double digits.
4 – The most number of ducks for India’s top 7 in an innings at home
Virat Kohli, Sarfaraz Khan, KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja – were all dismissed for a duck (without scoring) in the first innings in Bengaluru. It was only the third instance in India’s Test cricket history that as many as four batters in the top 7 went without scoring. The other two instances were both overseas in England – in 1952 at Leeds and 2014 in Manchester.
15 – The third-lowest aggregate runs by India’s top 4 at home
India’s top 4 scored a total of 15 runs in the first innings in Bengaluru which is the third-lowest such aggregate after Kanpur, 1979 (10 vs Pakistan) and Ahmedabad, 2010 (14 vs New Zealand) at home.
10 – The New Zealand pacers took all 10 wickets in India’s first innings in Bengaluru
The trio of Tim Southee, Matt Henry and William O’Rourke bagged all 10 Indian wickets in the first innings on Day 2 in Bengaluru. Interestingly, the last time pacers from a visiting team took all 10 Indian wickets in an innings was in 2012. And coincidentally it was New Zealand at the same venue at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru!
5/15 – The fourth-best bowling figures by a New Zealand pacer in India
Matt Henry returned with a devastating spell of 5-15 in 13.2 overs in the first innings in Bengaluru. They are the fourth-best bowling figures by a New Zealand pacer in India after Tim Southee, Dion Nash and Richard Hadlee.
Nikhil Narain
