India’s Record Collapse in Guwahati: Worst Home Test Meltdown in 59 Years

India hit record low with massive collapse in Guwahati Test, break 59-year-old all-time record

India endured a dramatic batting collapse on Day 3 of the second Test against South Africa in Guwahati, hitting a historic low in home Test cricket. Chasing South Africa’s imposing first-innings total of 489, India crumbled from a strong 95/1 to 122/7, losing six wickets for just 27 runs at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium.

The innings began promisingly as Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul added 65 runs for the opening wicket. Rahul fell for 22 just before the end of the first hour, while Jaiswal, after a fluent 58, departed with India well-placed at 95/2.

However, Jaiswal’s dismissal triggered a catastrophic collapse. Indian batters struggled to negotiate South Africa’s disciplined bowling, with Sai Sudharsan (15), Dhruv Jurel (0), Rishabh Pant (7), Nitish Kumar Reddy (10), and Ravindra Jadeja (6) falling in quick succession around the lunch interval.

This sequence created an unwanted record: India’s worst collapse in Tests after reaching 90-plus for the loss of one wicket. The team managed only 27 additional runs while losing six wickets, surpassing the previous low set in 1966 against the West Indies in Kolkata, where India fell from 98/1 to 139/7—a loss of six wickets for 41 runs.

India’s worst collapses (90-plus/1 to 7 down) in Tests

• 12 runs — 102/1 to 114/7 vs Pakistan, Karachi, 1982
• 26 runs — 94/1 to 120/7 vs Pakistan, Lahore, 1984
• 26 runs — 130/1 to 156/7 vs England, Old Trafford, 1946
• 27 runs — 95/1 to 122/7 vs South Africa, Guwahati, 2025
• 30 runs — 60/1 to 90/7 vs England, Lord’s, 1967

Earlier, South Africa built a commanding first-innings score of 489, powered by Senuran Muthusamy’s maiden Test century and Marco Jansen’s impressive 93.