Matt Henry’s brilliant fifer rocks India in first Test vs New Zealand
It wasn’t the best of days in office for the Indian men’s cricket team in Bengaluru on Thursday as the Men in Blue folded for just 46 in the first innings of the first Test match against New Zealand.
After rain washed out the opening day’s play at the Chinnaswamy, Indian batters struggled to cope with the Kiwi pacers on the first session of Day 2. And the biggest damage dealer turned out to be Matt Henry.
Henry, who turned up for us in four matches in IPL 2024 after joining the squad as a replacement for David Willey, seemed near unplayable on the day and finished with astonishing figures of 5/15 from the 13.2 overs he bowled in the innings.
The Kiwi speedster’s economy rate in the innings read an incredible 1.13. His victims included Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav.
In fact, Pant, with 20, was India’s highest scorer in the forgettable innings.
William O’Rourke complimented Henry with the ball and picked up 4/22 while Tim Southee accounted for the other Indian wicket.
Henry’s magical fifer also ended up handing Team India a very unsavoury record. The 46 India managed to master is the lowest innings total by any team in a Test match on Indian soil.
The previous record, interestingly, was held by New Zealand themselves after they were all out for 62 against India at the Wankhede back in 2021. India’s previous lowest score on home soil was 75, posted against the West Indies in Delhi way back in 1987.
This is also the third-lowest innings total the Indian team has ever posted in Test cricket. India were bowled out for 36 by Australia at Adelaide in 2020, which is still their lowest score in a Test innings. The second-lowest is 42 against England at the Lord’s in 1974.
India will play New Zealand in three Tests as part of the series. Following the Bengaluru match, the teams will travel to Pune and Mumbai.
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