India register record number of ducks in Bengaluru

“The procession continues,” said Ravi Shastri on air when Ravichandran Ashwin was out for a duck on the first ball after Lunch. 

Edging a near unplayable delivery to the slip cordon, Ashwin was the fifth batter out for a duck. India had opted to bat first in gloomy conditions against New Zealand in Bengaluru but the decision backfired with India’s score reading 34/7 at the point of Ashwin’s dismissal. 

In fact, it is only the second time in the 147-year-old history of Test cricket that a team lost five of their top eight batters for a duck. Earlier in the day, Virat Kohli, Sarfaraz Khan, KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja were all out for a duck. 

The last such instance happened way back in 1888 when Australia lost their top four batters for a duck each against England in Manchester, with number seven Sammy Woods also bagging one. 

It is worth mentioning that all of India’s top eight batters for this fixture have a Test hundred which makes this collapse even more appalling. 

With no contribution from five of their top eight batters, and a top score of only 20 (from Rishabh Pant), India were bowled out for 46 in 31.2 overs, their lowest total at home. 

Matt Henry picked 5/15, while William O'Rourke pouched 4/22. The spare wicket, the scalp of Rohit Sharma, went to Tim Southee (1/8). 

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