India vs Australia: Lowest Test Score

In the history of India vs Australia Test cricket, we have experienced many great batting performances. Meanwhile, some of the innings were forever nightmares for the teams due to batting collapses and ending the innings in very low totals.

In the previous article, we have covered India vs Australia Highest Test Scores. Here, we are going through the detailed lowest test score records in the India vs Australia Test cricket history.

Key Highlights of the Article:

1. Historical Low Scores: The article explores the lowest completed totals in India vs Australia Test history, highlighting some of the most shocking batting collapses, such as India’s infamous 36 all-out in Adelaide (2020) and Australia’s 83 in Melbourne (1981).

2. India’s Lowest Scores at Home and Away vs Australia: Focus is given to India’s lowest scores both as hosts and visitors against Australia, including their 36 all-out in Adelaide and the 104 runs at Wankhede (2004).

3. Australia’s Lowest Scores at Home and Away vs India: The article delves into Australia’s lowest totals as hosts and visitors vs India, such as their 83 runs in Melbourne (1981) and 91 runs in Nagpur (2023).

India vs Australia: Top 5 lowest test scores for both teams

Here, we are going through the top five lowest totals for India and Australia in their Test cricket battles. 

India vs Australia: Lowest Test Score in India

In the table below, take a look at the top five lowest totals for both India and Australia in the history of their Test matches played in India.

India (as hosts): Top 2 lowest totals

1. 104 all out in 2004 Wankhede Test:

In the 2004 Wankhede Test, India batted in the first innings but were bundled out for only 104 runs. All the Aussie bowlers dominated in that innings, including the debutant Nathan Hauritz. Aussie pacers Jason Gillespie (4/29), Michael Kasprowicz (2/11), and Glenn McGrath (1/35) shared seven wickets, while the Test debutant Hauritz (3/16) scalped three wickets. Among the Indian batters, only the skipper Rahul Dravid (31) reached the 20-run mark.

2. 105 all out in 2017 Pune Test:

During the 2017 Pune Test, India scored 105 and 107 runs against Australia in the second and fourth innings of the Test match, respectively. It was the first game of the four-match Test series, where the opener KL Rahul scored 64 runs, and India lost their last seven wickets for only 11 runs in the second innings of the game. Another opener Murali Vijay (10) and Ajinkya Rahane (13) were the only other batters to score double-digit runs in that innings. Aussie left-arm spinner Steve O'Keefe claimed a six-fer (6/35) and the left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc took two wickets (2/38), while Josh Hazlewood (1/11) and Nathan Lyon (1/21) got one wicket each.

Australia (as visitors): Top 2 lowest totals

1. 91 all out in 2023 Nagpur Test:

During the 2023 Nagpur Test, Australia batted first and scored 177 runs. After India scored 400 in their first innings, Australia were bundled out for only 91 runs to suffer an innings defeat. Only Steven Smith (25) reached the 20-run mark in that innings. Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin got a fifer (5/37), while Mohammed Shami (2/13), Ravindra Jadeja (2/34), and Axar Patel (1/6) shared the other five wickets between themselves.

2. 93 all put in 2004 Wankhede Test:

It is completely related to the 2004 Wankhede Test, where India recorded their lowest completed total against Australia at home (104). Australia had a fourth innings target of 107 runs, and the Aussies were bundled out for only 93 runs. Opener Matthew Hayden (24), captain Ricky Ponting (12), and Test debutant Nathan Hauritz (15) were the only batters to reach double-digit scores in that innings. While Zaheer Khan (1/14) started the innings with a second-ball wicket, Indian spinners shared the other nine wickets

(Harbhajan Singh 5/29, Murali Kartik 3/32, and Anil Kumble 1/5) to secure a famous Test win for India.

Australia vs India: Lowest Test Score in Australia

In the table, explore the top five lowest totals for both India and Australia in their Test encounters held in Australia.

Australia (as hosts): Top 2 lowest totals

1. 83 all out in 1981 Melbourne Test:

It was the 1981 Melbourne Test, where Australia required only 143 runs in the fourth innings to win the series-deciding match and the three-match home Test series. Meanwhile, it was the must-win game for the visitors India to only draw the Test series. Only the opener Graeme Wood (10), Kim Huges (16), and Doug Walters (18*) reached double-digit scores in that innings. While Kapil Dev claimed a five-wicket haul (5/28), Karsan Ghavri (2/10) and Dilip Doshi (2/33) picked up two wickets each.

2. 107 all out in 1947 Sydney Test:

It was the 1947 Sydney Test, where, after Australia bowled out the visitors for only 188 runs, the hosts were bundled out for only 107 runs. While the five Aussie batters managed double-digit scores, only the middle-order batter Ron Hamence (25) reached the 20-run mark. Australia lost their last six wickets for only 21 runs. Vijay Hazare took four wickets (4/29) and Dattu Phadkar got three wickets (3/14), while Lala Amarnath (1/31) and Vinoo Mankad (1/31) claimed one wicket each. 

India (as visitors): Top 2 lowest totals

1. 36 all out in 2020 Adelaide Test:

During the 2020 Adelaide Test, which was also the first day/night pink ball Test match between Australia and India, India had a stunning collapse in the crucial third innings of the match. Despite having a 53-run lead at the end of their first innings battle, India couldn’t challenge the Aussies as the visitors were bundled out for 36 runs. There was no double-digit score in that horrible innings, while only the opener Mayank Agarwal (9) and Hanuma Vihari (8) crossed the 4-run mark.