The worst batsmen in Tests and ODIs

You all know about Bradman’s batting average of 99.94.

Here, we look at the other end of the spectrum.

This data is updated to 27-5-2022. Matches involving the ICC XI are not counted.

As per the usual practice, a minimum of 20 innings is considered.

Lowest Test batting averages (below 5.00):

Heading this list is current Bangladesh player Ebadot Hossain with 0.72.

Next lowest is Zimbabwe’s “Pommie” Mbangwa with 2.00, and JV Saunders of Australia long ago with 2.29

Bangladesh has another candidate coming up with Khalid Ahmed with 7 Tests, 11 innings and batting average of 0.50.

Current players here include Ebadot Hossain, Abu Jayed, Lahiru Kumara, Shannon Gabriel, Lungi Ngidi, and “Fizz” Rehman.

The lowest by Indian players are 3.80 by Maninder Singh, 4.07 by BS Chandrasekhar and 4.60 by DR Doshi.

Now we look at the corresponding figures for ODIs.

As before, we take a minimum of 20 innings. Matches involving the ICC XI, Asia XI and Africa XI are not counted.

Lowest ODI batting averages (below 5.00):

Here, the figures are slightly better with the lowest by Zimbabwe players B Muzarabani (2.81) and CB Mpofu (2.85).

Current players include B Muzarabani and N Pradeep (4.37).

From India there are S Sreesanth (4.00) and Ishant Sharma (4.80).

Also note Mohammad Irfan, the only 7-footer to play in Tests.

Low Test scores against India-and India’s bowlers

While much has been said about 36 all out in recent days, it should not be forgotten that Indian bowlers have also now become capable of dismissing Test teams for two-digit scores. This did not happen before 1981, and the lowest by anyone against India is 79.

Here we list all Test scores by teams which are 100 or less, and 8 to 10 wickets down.

Note the 80/8 was not an all-out score, but probably would have ended under 100.

We give below details of the Indian bowlers involved, plus other features of interest.

Starting from the top:

SA 79 in 2015-16; I Sharma 0-4, Ashwin 5-32, Jadeja 4-33, A Mishra 1-9

NZ 80/8 in 1964-65; Desai 1-18, Jaisimha 1-4, Chandrasekhar 3-25, Durani 2-16, Venkataraghavan 1-10.

(NZ narrowly escaped defeat after they had dismissed India for 88 and made them follow on. But Sardesai had other ideas and made his maiden century of 200*)

SL 82 in 1989-90; Kapil 1-14, Prabhakar 1-27, V Raju 6-12, G Sharma 1-26.

(The only Test played at Chandigarh).

Aus 83 in 1980-81; Ghavri 2-10, S Patil 0-5, Doshi 2-53, Kapil 5-28)

(The first time an Indian team dismissed the opposition in a Test for under 100, and they squared the series with this unexpected win. India’s next win in Australia came in 2003-04.)

SA 84 in 2006-07; Zaheer 2-32, Sreesanth 5-40, VRV Singh 1-8, Kumble 2-2

(Probably the high point of Sreesanth’s Test career. This was India’s first win in SA).

BD 91 in 2000-01; Srinath 3-19, Zaheer 1-20, Agarkar 2-16, S Joshi 3-27, M Kartik 1-1

(Bangladesh’s first Test. However, they had made 400 in the first innings).

Aus 93 in 2004-05; Zaheer 1-14, Harbhajan 5-29, M Kartik 3-32, Kumble 1-5

(Australia failed to chase 107, though India won a dead Test and lost the series 2-1.)

NZ 94 in 2002-03; Zaheer 5-29, Yohannan 0-16, Nehra 2-20, Bangar 0-4, Harbhajan 2-20

(India still lost this Test. They had made 99 in the first innings.)

NZ 100 in 1980-81; Kapil 4-34, R Binny 2-26, Shastri 3-9, S Patil 1-12, K Azad 0-5

(India lost this Test. Shastri took 3-9 on debut, which included 3 wickets in 4 balls.)

WI 100 in 2019; I Sharma 3-31, Bumrah 5-7, Jadeja 0-42, Shami 2-13.

(India reduced WI to 50/9 before Roach (38) and M Cummins (19*) doubled the score.)