Stat Attack – India’s Lowest Aggregate Totals In Test Cricket
Apr 6, 2019 at 2:13 PM
The heavy 333-run defeat against Australia in the first Test at the MCA Stadium, Pune came in a rather embarrassing manner. Steve O’Keefe, Australian spinner, packed a surprise knockout punch and rattled the Indian batting order like no one else did before in its history at home. That being said, this wasn’t the first occasion when India suffered such a heavy loss due to their poor batting performance. In past, such batting collapses in both innings have put India in awful situation.
England v India, 1952:
The tourists had a torrid time dealing with the fast-bowling attack of the highly experienced England team. The 1st Test of India’s tour of England in 1952 at Manchester was an utter disaster as the visitors slumped to just 58 and 82 in their two innings in reply to the hosts’ first innings total of 347. The chief tormentors were none other than the legendary duo of Fred Trueman and Alec Bedser. Trueman, easily the fastest bowler at that time, rocked India with a bowling spell of 8/31 in first innings while Bedser followed it up with 5/27 in second innings.
Australia v India, 1947:
India’s first tour to Australia was a nightmare as they were whitewashed 4-0 by a strong Australian side which featured the greatest batsman of all time – Sir Donald Bradman – at the helm of their batting affairs. The signs of incompetence was clearly visible in the first Test of the series itself as the Bradman-led side defeated India by an innings and 226 runs. Australia went into bat first and pit up 382/8 with a century from Bradman. In reply, India were rattled by Ernie Toshak’s bowling spells and could manage just 58 and 98 in both innings.
South Africa v India, 1996:
Fast bowling machines Allan Donald and Shaun Pollock gave nightmares to India during the 1st Test at Durban in 1996. It was a pitch which India had rarely seen before. Amazingly quick with tennis ball bounce on offer. The end result was that all India could manage there were team totals of 100 and 66 in two innings. The conditions turned out to be so tough that Rahul Dravid, with 27 runs, was the highest individual scorer for the visitors. Their poor ability to cope with pace and bounce saw them getting thrashed by 328 runs.
Australia v India, 2017:
India could aggregate only 212 runs in the first Test at the MCA Stadium in Pune. 105 in first innings and 107 in second innings – is what they could muster before slumping to their 4th lowest in the Test format and the lowest in a home Test. Their previous lowest at home was 272 runs against the same opposition at the Eden Gardens in 1956-57. The match was headlined by Steve O’ Keefe’s superb bowling effort, which read 12/70.
England v India, 1936:
The England bowling attack appeared to be too tough for India to counter during their first trip to their then ruler’s land. Playing in the 1st Test at Lord’s, India were rolled under the carpet for scores of 147 and 93 in both innings and were defeated by nine wickets. The total aggregate of the match was just 240 runs. The tourists were put to bat first and were rocked by Gubby Allen’s 5/35. Later, India came out to bat in response to England’s second innings total of 134. Thanks to fast-bowler Amar Singh’s six-wicket haul, the Indians were still in the contest. However, the hosts made a superb comeback, again led by Gubby Allen (5/43) and Headley Verity, who snapped 4/17.