‘Hurting’: Historic carnage as India wiped out by Kiwis

Captain Rohit Sharma says he is “hurting” after India was left humiliated in the First Test against New Zealand.

Skipper Rohit Sharma said he is “hurting” after opting to bat first on a seaming pitch as hosts India fell to a dismal 46 all out against New Zealand.

Kiwi fast bowlers Matt Henry and William O’Rourke wreaked havoc in overcast conditions to dismiss India in 31.2 overs on the first Test’s second afternoon in Bengaluru.

It was India’s third-lowest Test score ever and lowest at home, worse than their 75 against the West Indies in New Delhi in 1987.

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Their lowest overall is 36 against Australia in a pink-ball Adelaide Test in 2020. They fell for 42 against England at Lord’s in 1974.

“We felt there was not much grass on the pitch and it will do whatever it has to do in the first couple of sessions and then it is going to take a turn as the game goes on,” Rohit told reporters.

“We expected the wicket to be flatter than what it turned out to be. So clearly misjudgement of the pitch.

“Obviously I didn’t read the pitch enough and we sit in that situation today.”

New Zealand's players celebrate after the dismissal of India's Sarfaraz Khan. Photo by IDREES MOHAMMED / AFP.

Five Indian batsmen including Virat Kohli got out for a duck as Henry and O’Rourke shared nine wickets between them in a rare show of domination by opposition bowlers in India.

Henry wrapped up the innings with a five-wicket haul, and his last strike of Kuldeep was his 100th Test wicket.

Tim Southee struck the first blow in the seventh over with the score on nine, bowling India skipper Rohit Sharma through the gate with a sharp inswinger after he had made two.

O’Rourke struck in his first over to get Kohli caught at leg gully without adding to the score, silencing a stunned home crowd.

There was a brief rain interruption but there was no respite for India when the players returned as the shell-shocked hosts slumped to 33-5, and then 34-6 at lunch.

Wickets continued to tumble and soon after lunch O’Rourke (4-22) and Henry (5-15) packed off the remaining four batsmen, assisted by some great catching.

“I am hurting a little bit because I made that call,” said Rohit of his decision to bat.

“But we want to challenge ourselves.

Not a good day for Rohit Sharma. Photo by IDREES MOHAMMED / AFP.

“This time it didn’t come off, the challenge that was thrown at us.”

Henry wrapped up the innings with a five-wicket haul and his last strike of Kuldeep Yadav was his 100th Test wicket.

“It was a good toss to lose,” said Henry.

“It was quite nice when those clouds started coming in.

“I think we were expecting it to be a flatter wicket but there was plenty of assistance this morning.

“It was great that we could make the most of it.”

New Zealand have the upper hand with a lead of 134 as they ended the day on 180-3 after Devon Conway’s 91.

Henry warned his team against letting their guard down.

“We can’t be complacent at all,” he said.

“We’ve just got to keep mounting pressure.”

India's Virat Kohli’s body language said it all. Photo by IDREES MOHAMMED / AFP.

Conway put on 67 runs for the first wicket with new skipper Tom Latham, who made 15.

The left-handed Conway took on the Indian attack and handled the spinners with aplomb as he reached 50 off 54 balls with a six off Ashwin.

Kuldeep Yadav struck next ball to send back Latham with his left-arm wrist spin. India successfully reviewed the decision in their favour after the umpire denied the appeal.

Conway put on a partnership of 75 with Will Young, who hit 33 and was in for the injured Kane Williamson.

Young fell to Ravindra Jadeja before Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant missed a stumping and injured his knee, hobbling off the ground.

Dhruv Jurel came in as the substitute wicketkeeper.

Rohit said Pant injured the same knee that was operated upon after his near-fatal car crash in December 2022, but hoped the glovesman would return to the field on Friday.

Originally published as ‘Hurting’: Historic carnage as India wiped out by Kiwis