IND vs ENG 2021: India's 5 lowest totals in Test history
A disastrous batting performance on Day 1 of the third Test between India and England saw the visitors come crashing down from the highs of Lord's to be bowled out for just 78.
Rohit Sharma was the top-scorer with 19 off 105 balls, as only two Indian batsmen reached double figures. All four England pacers - Jimmy Anderson, Ollie Robinson, Craig Overton and Sam Curran - were among the wickets.
India's total of 78 is their ninth-lowest in Test history. Here are the top five entries on that ignominous list.
#5 66, 1st India-South Africa Test at Durban in 1996
In the first of many instances on this list involving a series opener, India were bundled out for just 66 in their second innings of the first Test against South Africa back in 1996.
The Proteas won the toss and put on 235 before bowling India out for 100 in the first innings. South Africa then scored 259 on the back of another stellar showing from opener Andrew Hudson, with Venkatesh Prasad taking five wickets in each innings.
Things went from bad to worse in the final innings of the Test as Allan Donald, who had taken a five-fer in the first innings, ran through the Indian batting lineup once again to pick up four scalps. Rahul Dravid remained unbeaten on 29 as India crashed out 66 all out, losing the match by a whopping 328 runs.
#4 58, 3rd India-England Test at Manchester in 1952
During the third Test of India's 1952 tour of England, India suffered not one but two batting collapses.
The hosts put on 347/9 declared in the first innings, with the legendary Len Hutton scoring a masterful hundred. Peter May and Godfrey Evans were other contributors for England, with Ghulam Ahmed and Ramesh Divecha taking three-wicket hauls.
India were never really in the game. Vijay Manjrekar and Vijay Hazare were the only batsmen to reach double figures as they crumbled to 58 all out. Fred Trueman picked up eight wickets in an exceptional bowling display. Made to follow on, India's performance improved slightly but they still only managed 82.
Alec Bedser took a five-fer, with only three Indian batsmen reaching double figures. England won by an innings and 207 runs.
#3 58, 1st India-Australia Test at Brisbane in 1947
Before India's historic exploits at The Gabba earlier this year, Brisbane had remained an unbreachable fortress. One such example was the first Test in 1947, where India were soundly beaten.
The Kangaroos batted first and amassed 382/8 declared on the back of a sumptuous 185 from the inimitable Don Bradman. Captain Lala Amarnath picked up four wickets and waged a lone battle with the bat in India's innings with a team-high 22, but the visitors put on just 58. Ernie Toshack was the wrecker-in-chief with five wickets.
After following on, India's fortunes didn't improve drastically. Toshack took six more wickets as the Men in Blue scored just 98. Chandu Sarwate fought hard for three hours to score a 160-ball 26, but India lost by an innings and 226 runs.
#2 42, 2nd India-England Test at Lord's in 1974
In the second Test of India's 1974 tour of England, the visitors were bundled out for just 42 in their second innings. It remains their second-lowest total in Test cricket, behind only the infamous 36 all-out against Australia in Adelaide.
England made a mammoth 629 in the first innings thanks to centuries from Dennis Amiss, captain Mike Denness and Tony Greig, with India's Bishan Singh Bedi taking a six-wicket haul. Despite a 131-run opening partnership between Sunil Gavaskar and Farokh Engineer, India were bowled out for 302 in their first innings.
Things only got worse during the follow-on as Geoff Arnold and Chris Old picked up a combined nine wickets to wreck the Indian batting lineup. Eknath Solkar (18) was the only batsman to score more than five runs.
England won by an innings and 285 runs.
#1 36, 1st India-Australia Test at Adelaide in 2020
A match that needs no introduction, the first India-Australia Test at the turn of the year saw the visitors collapse miserably in their second pink-ball match.
India batted first and scored 244 as Virat Kohli top-scored with a fluent 74. They even managed to take a first-innings lead by bowling Australia out for just 191, with Ravichandran Ashwin defying the odds to take four wickets.
But everything came tumbling down in the second innings as India were rolled over by the skills of Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. Mayank Agarwal's 9 was the top score in the innings.
Australia chased down the 90-run target comfortably, but eventually lost the series 2-1.