IND vs NZ: Kiwis Demolish Men in Blue at Bengaluru, India Bowled Out for 46; Kohli, Sarfaraz, KL Register Duck!

Just a week after their thrilling victory against Bangladesh, India has made a series of disappointing records vs New Zealand. Opting to bat first, India got bowled out for just 46 runs on Day 2 of the first Test at M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. With innings lasting only 31.2 overs, India recorded an unwanted milestone, marking their third-lowest total in Test cricket history and their lowest at home.

New Zealand’s pace duo, William O’Rourke and Matt Henry unleashed their fury, with veteran Tim Southee initiating the collapse by taking the crucial wicket of India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, in the opening hour of play. India’s decision to bat first under overcast skies and on a pitch that had been covered for much of the previous three days due to rain proved costly.

The innings featured five ducks, with Virat Kohli surprisingly batting at No. 3, alongside Sarfaraz Khan, Ravindra Jadeja, KL Rahul, and R Ashwin, all of whom failed to get on the scoreboard at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Thursday.

India’s Lowest Total in Tests

36-all out vs Australia in Adelaide in 2020
42-all out vs England in London in 1974
46-all out vs New Zealand in Bengaluru in 2024*
58-all out vs Australia in Brisbane in 1947
58-all out vs England in Manchester in 1952

Rishabh and Jaiswal’s Resilience

India, riding high after a confidence-boosting 2-0 whitewash of Bangladesh earlier this month, were caught off guard by New Zealand’s pacers, who expertly exploited conditions reminiscent of the green pitches back home. Aside from Rishabh Pant (20 runs) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (13 runs), none of the Indian batters displayed the necessary resilience to withstand the pressure when things got tough.