India, who outplayed New Zealand in all the departments in the first three ODIs to clinch the ongoing five-match series, on Thursday failed to continue their dominance in the fourth match at Seddon Park in Hamilton. The Indian batsmen fell like a pack of cards to be bundled out cheaply for 92 runs in just 30.5 overs against the hosts in the dead-rubber. 


COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

After being asked to bat first, the Men in Blue -- who were missing the services of their rested regular skipper Virat Kohli -- unlike the opening three matches, struggled against New Zealand's bowling attack led by Trent Boult. 


Yuzvendra Chahal was the highest scorer for India with an unbeaten 19 runs. 


Boult finished with a brilliant figure of five for 21 to become just the seventh New Zealand player to clinch a five-wicket haul against India in ODIs. Colin de Grandhomme also made a significant contribution with three wickets while Todd Astle and Jimmy Neesham also chipped in with a wicket each. 


In reply, Henry Nicholls (30) and Ross Taylor (37) helped the hosts chased down the lowly target in just 14.4 overs.


It was India's seventh-lowest ODI total and also the lowest total posted by any side on this venue, the previous lowest of 122 was also against the Men in Blue's name.


Let us have a look at India's lowest scores prior to this ODI:


# India recorded their lowest-ever total in ODIs in 2000 when they were all out for 54 runs against Sri Lanka in the finals of the Champions Trophy. The then Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly scored just three runs while legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar departed for five.


# Former Australian bowler Greg Chappell finished with brilliant figures of five for 15 to dismiss India for 63 runs during the ninth match of the World Series in Sydney in 1981. In reply, Australia took 21 overs to chase down the target. Only Gundappa Viswanath and Roger Binny were the only batsmen for the Men in Blue to score in doubles figures with 23 and 16 runs, respectively. 


# The Men in Blue's third lowest score came in 1986 when they were bowled out for 78 runs while chasing a target of 196 runs against Sri Lanka in the opening ODI in Kanpur. It was Arjuna Ranatunga who tore apart India's batting line-up with his figures of four for 14 to hand Lanka a 117-run win. 


# In 1978, India were bowled out for 79 runs by their arch-rivals Pakistan in Sialkot in 1978, with Mohinder Amarnath (34 off 85 balls) and  Yashpal Sharma (11 off 26 balls) being the top scorers for them, In reply, Pakistan crossed the mark inside 17 overs and losing just two wickets.


# Prior to Thursday's ODI against New Zealand, India's previous lowest total against the former came during a tri-series, also featuring Sri Lanka, in Dambulla in 2010. Ravindra Jadeja was the highest scorer for India with 22 runs as the Men in Blue were shot out for 88 runs. 


# During the second ODI of the tour against South Africa in Durban in 2006,  Andre Nel and Jacques Kallis bagged four and three wickets each to bowl out India for 91 runs. The hosts won that match by 157 runs.


India will now look to end the ODI series against New Zealand on a high note when they head into the fifth and the final ODI in Wellington on Sunday.