New Zealand’s fast bowling attack, led by Tim Southee, Matt Henry, and William O’Rourke, delivered a spectacular performance on Thursday (October 27), dismantling India for a meager total of 46 runs in the first innings of the ongoing Test match in Bengaluru. This dismal total marks India’s lowest-ever score in a home Test match and their third-lowest overall in the format.
Tim Southee set the tone by dismissing Indian captain Rohit Sharma early. Following his lead, Matt Henry claimed five wickets, while O’Rourke took four, including the key dismissal of Virat Kohli for a duck.
India’s collapse stunned fans, with only two players—Rishabh Pant (20) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (13)—managing to score in double digits. Pant’s 20 runs from 49 balls made him the top-scorer, while five Indian players were dismissed without opening their accounts. The batting collapse left India reeling at just 46 all out, marking a historic low in their home Test history.
Adding to the drama, a tweet from England fast bowler Jofra Archer from 2014 resurfaced, where he had posted the number “46.” With India bowled out for the same score, social media erupted, drawing parallels between the tweet and India’s dramatic batting collapse.
46
— Jofra Archer (@JofraArcher) November 21, 2014
The 23-year-old William O’Rourke, playing only his fifth Test match and first against India, made an impact by removing Virat Kohli, who batted at No. 3 for the first time since 2016. O’Rourke’s fierce bowling also accounted for KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, and Ravichandran Ashwin, who all failed to score.
India’s struggles began after Rohit Sharma opted to bat first, hoping to capitalize on the conditions on Day 2 after rain washed out play on Day 1. However, the decision backfired as they lost six wickets for just 34 runs in the first session. Shubman Gill, India’s usual No. 3 in Tests, missed the match due to fitness issues, and his replacement, Sarfaraz Khan, was also dismissed for a duck.
India now faces an uphill task to make a comeback in the test match.
