Stats: Lowest totals for New Zealand in Test Matches

New Zealand, the inaugural World Test Championship winners, suffered miserably in the first innings of the second Test against India in Mumbai, as they recorded their sixth-lowest total in Test history. After a stellar performance from Kiwi spinner Ajaz Patel, who wrote his name in the history books by taking all ten Indian wickets, only the third bowler to do so, the Kane Williamson-minus Blackcaps endured a torrid time with the bat. Indian spinner R Ashwin was the chief destroyer who took 4 wickets, forcing NZ to record 62 in their first innings.

Earlier in the NZ innings, Mohammed Siraj took the first three wickets before the spinners came on and took charge by taking seven wickets between them. Kiwis, who suffered 45 all-out against South Africa at Cape Town in 2013, their third-lowest score, bagged another low score almost 9 years later this time in the Asian conditions. The WTC winner’s lowest score in Tests is just 26 runs which came against England way back in the year 1955. It is also the lowest score by any team in Test history. 42 is Kiwis second-lowest score in the longest format of the game which they suffered against their Trans-Tasman rivals Australia in 1946.

New Zealand record their lowest Test total in Asia

62 all-out is also New Zealand’s lowest score in Asia. Their second-lowest total in sub-continental conditions is 70, which came against another Asian giant Pakistan in Dhaka in 1955. Notably, the majority of the Blackcap’s lowest scores in Tests have come in abroad. This is the first instance where the Oceanic nation has suffered this low while wearing whites in Asia. New Zealand, who are not that known to play spin well, couldn’t do much at tgeh Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Interestingly, six out of New Zealand’s top ten lowest scores have come against England. They recorded their fourth lowest total of 47 against British side in the year 1958. 54 is the fifth smallest score by Kiwis which they managed to bag against Australia in 1946. Kiwis recorded their seventh lowest total of 65 against England at home in 1971. Next two twin scores of 67 also came against England in England in 1958 and 1978. Year 2013 saw NZ suffer another rock-bottom score of 68 against the same England team at the home of cricket, Lords.

Lowest totals by New Zealand in Tests