5 times India endured a torrid batting collapse in a home Test in the 21st century ft. IND vs SA 2025 in Guwahati

Team India have been one of the most intimidating places for opposition sides to tour for a long time due to the stark difference in conditions and their prowess in terms of spinners and spin-playing ability. However, the Men in Blue are slowly losing their sheen after being on the brink of a second home series loss in the space of a little over a year.

The Men in Blue's batting ability on home surfaces have dipped amid the sustained use of rank turners, and the growing influence of limited-overs cricket in recent times. There is a sharp increase in collapses in recent years, but the team have also faced the odd collapse prior to that.

India have had several collapses away in alien conditions, but not many expect such a similar Domino effect on favorable conditions in their own backyard. But, despite the team's growing prowess, they are not immune to such scenarios.

On that note, let us take a look at the five times India endured a torrid batting collapse in a home Test in the 21st century.

Honorable mentions: (IND vs NZ 2nd Test 2024 Pune; 76-3 to 156 all out, IND vs AUS 1st Test 2017 Pune; 44-1 to 105 all out, and IND vs AUS 4th Test 2004 Mumbai; 29-2 to 104 all out)

#1 India vs South Africa (2nd Test 2025; Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati; 95-1 to 122-7)

Team India had one of their darkest days in red-ball cricket as they unexpectedly collapsed on a relatively decent surface against South Africa in a must-win clash. In reply to the Proteas' mammoth 489 in the first innings, the hosts had actually made a decent start, reaching 95-1, with the Tea Break within distance.

However, they proceeded to lose three wickets in quick succession, and going on to lose three more after the break to find themselves at 122-7 in the blink of an eye. Dhruv Jurel and Rishabh Pant perished while shockingly trying to take on the bowlers, and South African fielders ensured they got a couple of wickets with their stunning fielding.

#2 India vs England (3rd Test 2006; Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai; 33-2 to 100 all out)

After conceding a 121-run lead in the first innings, India were handed a 313-run target in the final innings during the third and final Test against England during the 2006 home series.

Both Irfan Pathan and Anil Kumble featured in the top three for India in the run chase as India were quickly reduced to 21-2. The pair of Wasim Jaffer and skipper Rahul Dravid steadied the ship a bit, helping India stabilise a bit, before everything fell apart.

Following Jaffer's dismissal in the 19th over, Shaun Udal ran the show, beginning with Sachin Tendulkar's wicket. The spinner bagged four wickets inside 10 overs as India were bundled out for just 100, handing England a massive, historic win by 212 runs, ending the series 1-1.

#3 India vs South Africa (1st Test 2025; Eden Gardens, Kolkata; 33-2 to 93 all out)

Not long before the ongoing catastrophe in Guwahati, India faced a similar predicament with the bat on a tricky surface in Kolkata. Facing the Proteas in the series opener, and dismantling them for just 159 in the first innings, the expectation was that the contest would be a walkover.

However, India could only put up a 30-run lead in response, and were handed a 124-run target in the final innings. In the run chase, crippled by the lack of an injured Shubman Gill, the Men in Blue pushed the self-destruct button after being relatively well-placed at 33-2. After Dhruv Jurel holed out to deep mid-wicket, one wicket fell after the other.

India stretched their total to 93 after an explosive outburst by Axar Patel, but South Africa eventually prevailed to hand the hosts one of their most demoralising home defeats in history.

#4 India vs South Africa (2nd Test 2008; Motera, Ahmedabad; 30-2 to 76 all out)

Some of India's worst displays at home have come against South Africa, and this particular instance might just be the most dismal of the lot. After a high-scoring draw in the series opener in Chennai, where the Men in Blue smashed 627, courtesy of Virender Sehwag's historic 319, they followed it up by recording one of the lowest scores on home soil.

After being put into bat first, India were shockingly bowled out for just 76 runs in 20 overs. At one stage, they were in a decent position at 30-2, with Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman sharing the crease, but Dale Steyn ran through the Indian batting unit to finish with a five-wicket haul. Only two players in the form of MS Dhoni and Irfan Pathan, were able to record double figures in the innings.

India could not recover from such a setback as South Africa responded with a mammoth 494-7, after an unbeaten double hundred by AB de Villiers. The hosts put up a better fight in the second innings, but still lost the contest by an innings and 90 runs.

#5 India vs New Zealand (1st Test 2024; M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru; 31-3 to 46 all out)

The Men in Blue suffered a harrowing collapse, losing seven wickets for just 15 runs to record their lowest home score, during the series opener against New Zealand in 2024. After skipper Rohit Sharma surprisingly opted to bat first in overcast conditions and a tricky wicket, the batters failed to see out the initial phase itself.

The New Zealand pacers, led by Matt Henry, ran riot to dismantle the Indian top order in no time. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant put on 21 runs for the fourth wicket, the biggest partnership of the entire innings, to guide India to 31-3. However, after that point, it was a massacre with wickets falling left and right. The hosts eventually folded out for just 46 runs in 31.2 overs to mark arguably one of the worst performances on home turf in cricket history.