400-plus team totals in Tests after being 0/2
What's the story
The Indian cricket team has achieved a unique milestone in Test cricket by becoming the third side to score over 400 runs after losing their first two wickets without any runs on the board. The historic achievement came during the third innings of the fourth Test against England at Manchester's Old Trafford, which ended in a draw. Here we look at the teams to breach the 400-run mark after losing the first two wickets without a run on the board.
#3
425/4 - IND vs ENG, 2025
After losing Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan for naught in the first over of the third innings, India went on to score a whopping 425 runs for four wickets in 143 overs. KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Washington Sundar, and Ravindra Jadeja were the stars of India's innings. While Rahul narrowly missed a century with a score of 90 runs, Gill recorded his fourth hundred of the series (103). Sundar (101*) and Jadeja (107*) added 203 runs for the fifth wicket.
#2
443/7d - WI vs IND,1958
The 1958 Kanpur Test between West Indies and India marked the previous instance of a team breaching the 400-run mark after being reduced to 0/2. Both WI openers John Holt and Conrad Hunte bagged ducks in the third innings. However, Garry Sobers's 198 meant the visitors declared at 443/7 and later won by 203 runs. Basil Butcher (60) and Joe Solomon (86) were the others to breach the 50-run mark in the series.
#1
451/8d - IND vs WI, 1983
Interestingly, India were the first team to accomplish this milestone, in the 1983 Chennai affair versus WI. Batting second, the hosts lost opener Aunshuman Gaekwad and number three Dilip Vengsarkar in the first two balls. However, Sunil Gavaskar, who batted at number four, scored a solid 236* to rescue his team. He formed 140-plus partnerships with Ravi Shastri (72) and Syed Kirmani (63*) as India declared at 451/8. The game ended in a draw.