The shortest innings in the subcontinent

India's capitulation for 76 before lunch on the first day in Ahmedabad was one of their worst performances in Tests

03-Apr-2008

India's capitulation for 76 before lunch on the first day in Ahmedabad was one of their worst performances in Tests. Here's a look at more numbers from the innings.

Dale Steyn's five-for came in just eight overs, which is the second-fastest ever by a South African in Tests © AFP

India's score is their seventh-lowest score in Tests, and their second-lowest at home. They had been bowled out for 75 against West Indies in Delhi in 1987. The main destroyer on that occasion had been Pattrick Patterson, who achieved figures of 5 for 24 from 8.5 overs. (Dale Steyn's figures here were 5 for 23 from eight.) On that occasion too, India had won the toss and chosen to bat. There have been 14 other instances, though, of teams scoring less than 76 after winning the toss. Click here for the full list.

The Indian innings lasted just 20 overs, which is the shortest completed innings ever in the subcontinent.

For the South Africans, it was a performance to relish - only on three previous occasions had they bowled out opposition teams for less than 100 when playing overseas. India's 76 equals the lowest by a team against them at home - more than 100 years back England were bowled out for exactly that score at Headingley, but ended up winning the match by 53 runs.

Steyn needed only eight overs to take his five-for. Only one South African has needed fewer overs for a five-wicket haul, and the name is an unlikely one: Jacques Kallis took 5 for 21 in 4.3 overs against Bangladesh in Potchefstroom. (Click here for the full list.)

Nine of out 11 batsmen made single-digit scores in this innings, which is only the eighth instance of an Indian innings containing nine or more single-digit scores by batsmen. Only twice have there been ten single-digit scores in an Indian innings, and both happened within three months of each, in 1996-97, against South Africa (Durban) and West Indies (Barbados).

Only five times has a team won after scoring less than 100 in the first innings of a Test. The last time it happened was more than 100 years ago, in 1907.

South Africa India India vs South Africa South Africa tour of India

S Rajesh is stats editor of Cricinfo