Chandigarh, 17 October 2024: The first Test of the highly anticipated three-match series between India and New Zealand, held in Bangalore, took a shocking turn as India collapsed to a dismal score of 46 runs in their first innings. This Test match is crucial for India’s chances of securing a spot in the World Test Championship final, but their batting performance has put them on the back foot.
After rain washed out the entire first day, the 98-over match began on Thursday. Indian captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and opted to bat first, a decision that backfired dramatically in cloudy and difficult batting conditions. India’s batsmen crumbled under pressure, with five players—Virat Kohli, Sarfraz Khan, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, and Ravichandran Ashwin—unable to even open their accounts.
Rishabh Pant top-scored with just 20 runs, while young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal managed to add 13. Captain Rohit Sharma was dismissed for a mere two runs, Jasprit Bumrah scored one, and the entire Indian lineup folded quickly, setting a new low for the team in Test cricket.
This 46-run total marks India’s lowest-ever score in a Test match, surpassing their previous worst of 62 runs set by New Zealand at the Wankhede in 2021. The last time India put up a similarly poor show was 37 years ago, in 1987, when they were dismissed for 75 runs against the West Indies in Delhi. The previous worst against New Zealand was 81 runs in Wellington back in 1976. Notably, this is also the third-lowest Test score in Indian cricket history, behind their infamous 36-run innings against Australia in Adelaide in 2020.
The pressure is now on India to recover in the second innings and avoid further humiliation in this crucial Test series.
