India is currently vying for a remarkable victory in the first Test match against New Zealand in Bengaluru. The Men in Blue have displayed a commendable effort by erasing New Zealand's 356-run lead and forcing them to bat again in the fourth innings. However, the hosts may rue the flurry of wickets they lost after the second new ball was taken.
Despite a strong position at 408/3, India was eventually bowled out for 462, losing their last seven wickets for a mere 54 runs. Sarfaraz Khan led the way for the hosts with an impressive 150, while Rishabh Pant fell just short of a century with 99. The introduction of the new ball triggered a collapse in the Indian batting lineup, with New Zealand's quick bowlers - Matt Henry, William O'Rourke, and Tim Southee - sharing seven wickets to dismiss the hosts for 462.
India now faces the daunting task of defending a target of 107 runs to secure a memorable victory in Bengaluru. It is worth noting that India's lowest successful defense in the fourth innings of a Test match is also 107, achieved against Australia in 2004 during the Mumbai Test. On that occasion, the Indian bowlers dismissed the Australians for 93, securing a narrow 13-run win.
Lowest targets defended by India in the fourth innings:
1 - 107 against Australia in Mumbai in 2004
2 - 143 against Australia in Melbourne in 1981
3 - 170 against South Africa in Ahmedabad in 1996
4 - 188 against New Zealand in Mumbai in 1969
5 - 188 against Australia in Bengaluru in 2017
The hosts had a disastrous performance with the bat during the first innings of the match. India was dismissed for a mere 46 runs, their lowest score at home, due to challenging seam bowling conditions. Rishabh Pant was the top scorer with 20 runs, followed by Yashasvi Jaiswal with 13 runs. Unfortunately, no other batters were able to reach double digits.
In response, New Zealand posted an impressive total of 402 runs, led by Rachin Ravindra's outstanding 134-run contribution. Tim Southee also played a crucial role with 65 runs, forming a partnership of 137 runs with Rachin for the eighth wicket.
Also read| Watch: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli engage in heated argument with umpires during India vs New Zealand 1st Test
