The five lowest ODI totals of the Indian cricket team

The Indian cricket team is one of the strongest units in international cricket, if not the best. It has been privy to many great matches, with its bevy of players displaying their outstanding talent. However, they capitulated in the fourth ODI against New Zealand at Hamilton today for a low score of 92, owing to a determined bowling effort from the Kiwis. We take a look at the five worst Indian batting efforts in ODIs.

5. 88 v New Zealand (2010)

India got skittled for a low score of 88 as an inspired bowling attack led by pacer Daryl Tuffey helped New Zealand register a mammoth 200-run win. Having batted first on a good batting wicket in Dambulla, Sri Lanka, the Kiwis scored 288 thanks to a 190-run partnership from the duo of Ross Taylor and Scott Styris. In reply, the Indian team were showing signs of chasing the total, as the opening batsmen, Virender Sehwag and Dinesh Karthik posted 39 for the first wicket before getting out in consecutive deliveries. Team India got all out with more than 20 overs to spare in the first ODI of the Triseries and conceded a bonus point, in the 2010 ODI.

4. 79 v Pakistan (1978)

In the 2nd ODI match against archrivals Pakistan on October 13, 1978, India slumped to an eight-wicket defeat at the Jinnah Stadium in Sialkot. Batting first, India were bundled out for a paltry 79 in less than 35 overs, with Hasan Jamil Alvi, Saleem Altaf and Sikander Bakht taking most wickets for Pakistan. The famed batting lineup of Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, Gundappa Viswanath, Yashpal Sharma and Kapil Dev had no answers to the Pak pacers. Pakistan chased down the target in less than 17 overs.

3. 78 v Sri Lanka (1986)

Having bowled first on a pitch that assisted the fast bowlers, India dismissed Sri Lanka for 195, thanks to some good bowling from Maninder Singh, Kapil Dev and Chetan Sharma. But the wicket at the Green Park in Kanpur had something shocking in store for the Indians, as Arjuna Ranatunga took four wickets and got the Indians out very cheaply for a total of 78. Sri Lanka won the match by 117 runs, wherein none of the Indian batsmen got past the 20-run mark.

2. 63 v Australia (1981)

During the 9th match of the Benson & Hedges World Series Cup in 1981, Australia steamrolled India courtesy a brilliant bowling spell from former Indian coach Greg Chappell who scalped five wickets for 15 runs. India got out for a mere 63 runs, and it was Chappell who top scored with an unbeaten 33 as Australia cruised to an easy 9-wicket victory with 174 balls remaining.

1. 54 v Sri Lanka (2000)

Playing at the iconic Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium on 29th October, 2000 Sri Lanka won the toss and decided to bat first against India. Sanath Jayasuriya made his highest individual score of 189 against the Indian side and helped the Lankans post 299 runs on the board. In reply, the Indian side could only muster a score of 54 and got dismissed in less than 27 overs with Robin Singh being the only batsman to reach double figures.