India were bowled out for their lowest ever home score as they got dismantled by New Zealand on day two of the first Test.
India found themselves all out for just 46 runs after being unable to get to grips with the visitors’ bowling attack.
AFPIt was an innings to forget for India’s Test cricketers with an uphill challenge ahead if they are to salvage the match[/caption]
New Zealand have never managed to bowl a team out for such a low score in a Test either – and went on to quickly establish a substantial lead in their first innings.
Indeed, India’ s score marks the 18th-lowest ever set by any team in the history of Test matches.
India themselves have only ever set two totals lower than 46 – once in Australia and once in England.
As if things were not bad enough already, India’s batting superstar Virat Kohli also set his own record after an unfortunate individual display at the crease.
Kohli found himself out for a duck after being unable to score in the nine balls he faced.
He fell victim to fast bowler Will O’Rourke – who is featuring in only his fifth ever Test.
A tricky delivery saw Kohli caught out by the leg slip Glenn Phillips after the ball flew off his gloves.
And for all his talent, it is far from the first time the 35-year-old has found himself walking back to the pavilion after making no runs.
The dismissal is his 38th international duck, meaning he joins New Zealand’s Tim Southee in holding the record for the most ducks among active cricketers.
The next closest contender is his skipper and teammate Rohit Sharma who currently sits on 33.
Kohli has been out of form recently – despite being India’s fourth highest Test run scorer of all timeGetty
GettyPhillips took advantage of Kohli’s error, sending him on his way with a well-taken catch[/caption]
Despite India being top of the World Test Championship standings, New Zealand thoroughly got the better of them out in Bengaluru.
With the first day of play having been rained off, it was the visitors who prevailed on day two with Matt Henry added five wickets to O’Rourke’s four – with Southee taking another.
On commentary duty for talkSPORT, ex-New Zealand Test cricketer Jeremy Coney praised his former side’s performance.
“Fantastic effort all round from New Zealand,” he said.
“They thought yesterday they weren’t going to bowl in conditions that were going to suit them once they lost the toss, but they made the most of it.
“They made one error in terms of catching the ball, but the rest of the fielding effort has been full of good catches.
“There’s [Matt] Henry – the man of the moment. It’s been his pitch and his morning.
“He’s just kept at the batsmen, moved it a little bit, and he’s got his rewards for that consistency.”
AFPHenry was exceptional for New Zealand, taking a five-for on the second day[/caption]
AFPNew Zealand put themselves in a strong position to win after sending India’s batting order tumbling[/caption]
His thoughts were echoed by talkSPORT commentator Jarrod Kimber who picked up on New Zealand’s refusal to let India back into the game.
“What an incredible morning,” he said. “If you think of what India have been doing at home for more than a decade now and how hard they are to beat.
“If New Zealand were ever going to have a chance, we knew it was going to be with the seam bowlers on day one, and there is still a long way to go.
“But what India have been brilliant at is when they’ve lost early wickets, Ashwin, Jadeja and Kuldeep have managed to push the innings on, but that didn’t happen.
“New Zealand didn’t allow it. New Zealand kept the pressure on, and 46 all out isn’t bad.”
India’s lowest Test match scores
36 vs Australia (Adelaide 2020)
42 vs England (Lord’s 1974)
46 vs New Zealand (Bengaluru 2024)
58 vs Australia (Brisbane 1947)
58 vs England (Manchester 1952)
66 vs South Africa (Durban 1996)
67 vs Australia (Melbourne 1948)
75 vs West Indies (Delhi 1987)
76 vs South Africa (Ahmedabad 2008)
78 vs England (Leeds 2021)