Cricket is a game full of surprises, but what happened in India’s Test match against South Africa in January 2024 was beyond belief. Imagine being comfortably placed at 153/4, only to be bowled out for the same score. Sounds impossible, right? Well, it happened! India became the first full-member ICC nation to lose six wickets for zero runs in a Test innings—a historic and shocking collapse.
The dramatic sequence left cricket fans around the world in disbelief. As wickets tumbled one after another, India’s lower order simply couldn’t add a single run to the total. And if that wasn’t enough, seven Indian batters registered ducks, equalling the all-time record for the most ducks in a Test innings. It was a meltdown like no other, a statistic that seemed unfathomable at the highest level of the sport.
But here’s where the story takes an even more astonishing turn—despite this unprecedented collapse, India still managed to win the match. In what can only be described as a rollercoaster of emotions, the team bounced back with a remarkable bowling performance, dismantling South Africa’s batting lineup and securing an unlikely victory. Talk about drama!
This bizarre Test match will be remembered as one of the most unpredictable contests in cricket history. It showcased the beauty and unpredictability of Test cricket—where fortunes can swing dramatically in a matter of moments. While the batting collapse was a record India would rather forget, the resilience they displayed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat is what truly defines their fighting spirit.
Cricket has seen some wild moments, but this one was right up there among the most jaw-dropping. India’s name is now etched in the record books not just for an astonishing collapse, but for an incredible turnaround that proved why Test cricket remains the ultimate test of skill, patience, and resilience.