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Top 5 lowest team scores against India in Test cricket
India did not have a good outing in Centurion during the first Test of the series against South Africa. With a game to go, India had lost the opportunity to win a Test series on South African soil. What hurt the fans was the pathetic bowling from the bowlers. The home side pounced on it and ensured that they dominated the game right from the start and never let the lead bog down.
But in the Cape Town Test, the Indian bowlers were right on the money. Every mistake which was committed by India in the first Test was not repeated. The bowlers hit the right length and bowled so well against the batters of SA. There was literally no answer from the batters against a good bowling from the Indian attack. It was a perfect change in the story and the visiting side was all over the home side.
In the match, India registered its greatest bowling performance ever in a Test match. It is time to check out the lowest scores by opponents against India in Test cricket.
5. 82 by Sri Lanka at Chandigarh in 1990
Sri Lanka (Source: X)
It was the only Test of the series between India and Sri Lanka in 1990 at Chandigarh. Batting first, India managed to score 288 runs on a rank-turner. The knock of Ravi Shastri helped India to get to a respectable total. India bowled very well in both their innings and ended up winning against Sri Lanka by an innings and 8 runs.
For India, Venkatapathy Raju was the hero with the ball. The left-arm orthodox spinner claimed 6/12 in the first innings and dismissed Sri Lanka for just 82 runs. It remained the lowest score against India in a Test innings for 25 years. 5 batters from SL were dismissed for a duck and a couple of them scored a solitary run.
4. 81 by England at Ahmedabad in 2021
England (Source: X)
It was the third Test match of the series between India and England at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi stadium. It was the pink ball D/N Test and India was all over England right from the start. Batting first, England were dismissed for just 112 runs in the first innings. Axar Patel claimed 6 wickets with the ball and wreaked havoc.
India replied with a score of just 145 runs. Just when England thought of making inroads into the game, India delivered a huge blow by dismissing the visiting side to 81 runs. Axar Patel was the hero yet again who claimed 5 wickets with the ball. Ashwin bowled well and claimed 4 wickets in an innings dominated by the bowlers.
3. 79 by South Africa at Nagpur in 2015
South Africa (Source: X)
It was the third Test of the series between India and South Africa at Nagpur in 2015. On a rank turner, the batters struggled to score runs from both sides. Batting first, India managed to score only 215 runs. Just when SA thought of enjoying a good bowling performance, India dominated the game with their bowling.
The home side dismissed SA for a total of just 79 runs. Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja claimed 5 and 4 wickets respectively. The great bowling effort from the duo continued in the second innings as well, as Ashwin claimed 7/66 in the innings to register one of his best spells. India won the Test by 124 runs.
2. 62 by New Zealand at Mumbai (Wankhede) in 2021
It was a great bowling performance from India at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Indian pacers and spinners dominated the proceedings on a rank turner and did not let the visiting side have a slight advantage in the game. Earlier in the match, Ajaz Patel scripted history by becoming just the third bowler to claim all 10 wickets in an innings.
India posted 325 runs in the first innings. With a good total on the board, India got a good opportunity to have a go at the batters of New Zealand. Mohammad Siraj with the new ball was sensational and picked up 3 wickets. Axar Patel and Ashwin claimed 2 and 4 wickets each, as India dismissed NZ for a total of just 62 runs at Mumbai.
1. 55 by South Africa at Cape Town in 2024
South Africa (Source: X)
It is the new record by the Indian Team where they have dismissed a team for the lowest total. India bundled out SA for just 55 runs at Cape Town in just 23.2 overs. A collective effort from the Indian team ensured that they dismissed SA for a low total to gain a big advantage in the match. It was the lowest total conceded by India in a Test innings.
Mohammad Siraj bowled a sensational spell and registered figures of 6/15. The right-arm seam bowler was brilliant from his end. Jasprit Bumrah and Mukesh Kumar claimed 2 wickets each. Only 2 batters from the home side managed to score over 10 runs in the innings. It was as if everything India touched turned to gold.