India crumbled to their lowest-ever Test total on home soil, being bowled out for 46 as New Zealand took control of the series opener in Bengaluru. After rain washed out the first day, India’s decision to bat first backfired spectacularly as seamers Matt Henry and William O’Rourke tore through the lineup, sharing nine wickets between them.
Henry took five for 15, while O’Rourke claimed four for 22, as Rohit Sharma’s side recorded their third-lowest total in Test history, just surpassing the 36 all out in Australia in 2020 and the 42 in England half a century ago.
Devon Conway’s brisk 91 off 105 balls, featuring three sixes and 11 fours, propelled the Black Caps to 180 for three, giving them a lead of 134. However, the main story was India’s dramatic collapse.
Rohit fell early, bowled by Tim Southee after misjudging the ball’s movement off the pitch. O’Rourke then dismissed Virat Kohli for a nine-ball duck. Sarfaraz Khan gifted Henry his first wicket by chipping to mid-off, and despite Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant briefly steadying the innings with a 21-run stand, India’s innings unraveled from 31 for three to 34 for seven.
KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, and Ravichandran Ashwin were all dismissed without scoring after Jaiswal made 13. Pant top-scored with 20 before Henry and O’Rourke cleaned up the tail, bowling India out in just 31.2 overs.
New Zealand’s openers swiftly surpassed India’s meager total in the 13th over, with Conway attacking India’s spinners. Conway, though he was nearly stumped on 89, fell for 91 after missing a reverse sweep against Ashwin. Still, New Zealand finished the day firmly in control.
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