India record third lowest Test total as New Zealand fold Rohit Sharma and Co. for 46

India record third lowest Test total as New Zealand fold Rohit Sharma and Co. for 46

India had a dreadful outing in the first Test against New Zealand at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Thursday. The opening day of the Test was already washed out and despite the conditions being overcast skipper Rohit Sharma won the toss and opted to bat on Day 2. It didn't take long for the decision to backfire as India were folded for 46 in 31.2 overs inside two sessions, which also witnessed a brief rain interruption in between. Rishabh Pant, who scored 20, emerged as the highest scorer from the Indian camp, while the six-run stand between Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Siraj for the final wicket was the third highest of the Indian innings.

Lowest totals for India in Tests

36 vs AUS, Adelaide, 2020
42 vs ENG, Lord's, 1974
46 vs NZ, Bengaluru, 2024*
58 vs AUS, Brisbane, 1947
58 vs ENG, Manchester, 1952

The decision to bat first backfired as the overcast conditions assisted the New Zealand seamers. India found themselves struggling at 34/6 at Lunch. The second session then got underway with Matt Henry removing R Ashwin in the first delivery and the story continued. Henry completed his five-wicket haul, William ORourke scalped four, while Tim Southee got one wicket under his name. All three pacers generated good swing and bounce.

The day began with Southee cleaning up Rohit Sharma for 2, and ORourke packed Virat Kohli for 0. Henry then got rid of Sarfaraz Khan for 0, following which Yashasvi Jaiswal (13), KL Rahul (0), and Ravindra Jadeja (0) also departed.

Lowest totals in India in Tests

46 - IND vs NZ, Bengaluru, 2024*
62 - NZ v IND, Mumbai, 2021
75 - IND v WI, Delhi, 1987
76 - IND v SA, Ahmedabad, 2008
79 - SA v IND, Nagpur, 2015

This was India's third lowest total in Tests and the lowest in home Tests. In fact this is also the lowest total in Asia. The previous unwanted record was held by West Indies, who were dismissed for 53 against Pakistan at Faisalabad in 1986 and 53 runs by Pakistan against Australia at Sharjah in 2002.

Five batters (Virat Kohli, Sarfaraz Khan, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, and R Ashwin) departed for ducks.

Most ducks in a Test innings for India

6 vs ENG, Manchester, 2014 (1st inns)
6 vs SA, Cape Town, 2024 (2nd inns)
5 vs AUS, Adelaide, 1948 (3rd inns)
5 vs ENG, Leeds, 1952 (3rd inns)
5 vs NZ, Mohali, 1999 (1st inns) 5 vs NZ, Bengaluru, 2024 (1st inns)*

If we look at the playing XI, India made two changes. Shubman Gill as informed by Rohit during toss is not 100 percent fit and is replaced by Sarfaraz, while pacer Akash Deep makes way for Kuldeep Yadav. The opening day of the contest was completely washed out due to rain.