New Zealand dismissed the India men’s cricket team for just 46 runs in the first innings of the ongoing first Test at M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Thursday (October 17). Rohit Sharma’s decision to bat first after winning the toss turned out to be a nightmare. The hosts lost six batters for 34 runs in the first session, and the remaining four batters could only manage to add 12 runs to the team’s total.
The total of 46 runs is India’s lowest innings total in Tests played on Indian soil and third lowest overall. India’s lowest total in Tests is 36, which it registered during the Day-Night Test played against Australia in Adelaide (December 2020).
For the Black Caps, Matt Henry picked up five wickets and William O’Rourke finished with figures of 4 for 22 in 12 overs. One Indian batter was also sent back to the pavilion by Tim Southee.
Rishabh Pant top-scored for the Indian team by hammering 20 runs from 49 balls, and Yashasvi Jaiswal made a contribution of 13 runs. As many as five Indian batters—Virat Kohli, Sarfaraz Khan, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, and Ravichandran Ashwin—failed to open their accounts.
Rohit was the first Indian batter to return back to the pavilion. He was clean-bowled by Southee for 2 runs from 16 balls. Kohli failed to open his account even after playing nine balls, and Sarfaraz Khan also made a three-ball duck.
Jaiswal added 21 runs for the fourth wicket with Pant before he was caught by Ajaz Patel off O’Rourke’s bowling. The 23-year-old pacer then removed KL Rahul for six-ball duck, and Jadeja was sent back to the pavilion for naught by Henry.
