Test cricket is also known as the oldest and true form of the cricket. Every single player who plays cricket dreams of representing his/her country in red ball cricket wearing whites and every player who the status of a legend in cricket history has been written their name in golden words mainly in the test cricket.
The test cricket examines a player’s, a team’s patients, courage, skill and fitness at the highest level and everybody wants to give their best for the team but sometimes things don’t go their way and they become a part of history in the wrong way, which nobody actually wants to.
Today we are going to know about such record which nobody wanted to be a part of i.e., the teams with the lowest total in test cricket history till now.
Top 10 lowest team totals in Test Cricket
The top 10 teams with lowest score in a test inning are as follows:
| Team | Score | Against | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | 26 | England | 1955 |
| West Indies | 27 | Australia | 2025 |
| South Africa | 30 | England | 1896 |
| South Africa | 30 | England | 1924 |
| South Africa | 35 | England | 1899 |
| South Africa | 36 | Australia | 1932 |
| Australia | 36 | England | 1902 |
| India | 36 | Australia | 2020 |
| Ireland | 38 | England | 2019 |
| New Zealand | 42 | Australia | 1946 |
1. New Zealand (26 All Out) Vs England, at Auckland, 1955
The England team after a long trip over the seas playing cricket in different parts of the world reached New Zealand for a 2-match test series in March 1955.
The England team defeated the host team New Zealand at their home in the series with 2-0. But that’s not only what happened in that test series, New Zealand become the first team with lowest total in the test history in an inning.
England won the first match against New Zealand at Carisbrook, Dunedin by 8 wickets. But the highlight of the series was yet to come. In 2nd test at Auckland during first inning England chased the total given by New Zealand that is 200 by 246 and got a lead of 46 runs.
But in 2nd innings New Zealand didn’t even cross the lead and got all out at just 26 runs, and become the team with lowest total in test cricket history.
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2. West Indies (27 All Out) Vs Australia, at Kingston, 2025
Not going so far in the history, the latest series between West Indies and Australia. The Australia was on the tour of West indies for T20I series and Test series of 3 test matches, Australia won the series with 3-0 and in the last test at Kingston with the pink ball, the Australian pacers specifically Mitchell Stark made havoc on the field and made history by taking 5 wickets in just 15 balls, teared apart the batting line-up of West Indies team and taking the revenge of Gabba defeat by them earlier when they are on the Australia tour.
3. South Africa (30 All Out) Vs England, at Gqeberha, 1896
In the early days of international test cricket when South African cricket trying to be established in world cricket, they faced the England at Gqeberha, South African batting lineup got all out for 30 runs in second inning.
The England teams ballers were too good for the South African team specially George Lohmann. He took 8 wickets for just 7 runs in that inning.
4. South Africa (30 All Out) Vs England, at Birmingham, 1924
The South African team once again made their name in the list and for the 2nd time against the same opponent, this time at Birmingham.
South Africa’s 2nd inning just concluded for 30 runs in Birmingham test against great balling of England. England team scored 438 runs in 1st inning and won the match by 18 runs and an inning.
Arthur Gilligan And Maurice Tate shared the wickets and didn’t give any chance to the batters to score the runs.
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5. South Africa (35 All Out) Vs England, at Cape Town, 1899
The early days of Test cricket in South Africa, or we can say not too good time for The South African team to remember specially against the England whether they play in England or at their home England dominated South African team in tests. In England tour of South Africa in 1899 South Africa again battled against England’s bowling lineup and scored just 35 runs in an inning at Cape Town.
England’s bowlers Albert Trott and Schofield Haigh used the South African pitch conditions greatly and took 4 and 6 wickets respectively.
England completely dominated South Africa and won the test by 210 runs.
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6. South Africa (36 All Out) Vs Australia, at Melbourne, 1932
In 1932, when South Africa was on the tour of Australia, in 1932 in the 5th test against Australia at Melbourne South Africa’s first inning concluded with just 36 runs all out and that’s another match proving the bad phase of South African test cricket.
In 2nd innings also South Africa scored 45 runs only and because of these low totals in both innings, Australia won the match easily by an inning and 72 runs.
7. Australia (36 All Out) Vs England, at Birmingham, 1902
This match proves that even one of the best cricket teams of the cricket also can sometimes fails. When Australia was on the tour of England in 1902, in 1st test at Birmingham, Australia’s 1st inning ended only at 36 runs and that’s Australia’s lowest team total in the test history. Even after the England’ 376 runs in 1st inning the match drawn.
8. India (36 All Out) Vs Australia, at Adelaide, 2020
Not going too before, during the BGT 2020-21, in 1st match at Adelaide, India made a total of 36 runs in 2nd inning after making 244 in 1st inning, Australia won the match by 8 wickets with a team contribution, but with the help of Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane’s leadership India won the series in Australia.
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9. Ireland (38 All Out) Vs England, at Lord’s, 2019
Not so great stat for a team like Ireland which is trying to make their name in the world cricket to be a part of but during Ireland’s tour of England back in 2019, in lord’s test the second inning of Ireland’s batting lineup just ended with a score of 38 and they failed to chase the target of 182 in 2nd innings and England won the match by 143 runs.
Chris Woakes and Stuart Board were the reason for England as they both shared 6 and 4 wickets respectively.
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10. New Zealand (42 All Out) Vs Australia, at Wellington, 1946
Making the second appearance in this list not willingly but in the Australia tour of New Zealand for the only test match at Wellington in 1946.
New Zealand failed to score big total in both the innings and jus scored 42 & 54 in both innings against Australia. Australia won the match by 103 runs.
Bill O’Reilly made an impact in the match by taking 5 wickets in the 1st inning and 3 wickets in 2nd inning.
