642 balls (107 overs)
South Africa vs India, Cape Town (2024)
Result: India won by 7 wickets
The Cape Town Test holds the record for the shortest Test ever completed in the 147-year history of the longest format of the game. Played between South Africa and India, the game turned into a nightmare for batters within a few minutes. Batting first, the Proteas lost their top four batters, who failed to go past single digits, as the hosts were skittled for 55 runs in just 23.2 overs, with wicketkeeper-batter Kyle Verreynne top-scoring with just 15. India pacer Mohammed Siraj claimed career-best figures of 6-15. In reply, India were comfortably placed at 153-4, but the visitors suffered the most bizarre collapse, losing their last six wickets without a run being added in the space of 11 balls. The opening day witnessed 23 wickets at Newlands. On Day Two, despite a century by opener Aiden Markram (106), the hosts could manage only 176. Rohit Sharma & Co chased the 79-run target convincingly in 12 overs. The Newlands pitch was rated “unsatisfactory” by the ICC.
842 balls (140.2 overs)
India vs England, Ahmedabad (2021)
Result: India won by 10 wickets
Axar Patel claimed his career-best 6-38 against England in Ahmedabad
The third Test of the series witnessed a rare day-night encounter in India at the newly inaugurated stadium in Ahmedabad. Despite a fighting 53 by opener Zak Crawley, England collapsed for 112 against the Indian spin attack, with left-arm orthodox spinner Axar Patel claiming career-best figures of 6-38. The hosts, looking comfortable at 114-3, struggled later in the innings, losing their last seven wickets for just 31 runs, with part-time spinner Joe Root surprising everyone with an incredible 5-8. England’s second innings witnessed nothing different, with Root & Co being bundled out for just 81. Four visiting batters were sent back to the pavilion without troubling the scorers, handing India a 49-run target, which the hosts chased in 7.4 overs inside two days.
847 balls (141.1 overs)
Australia vs England, Perth (2025)
Result: Australia won by 8 wickets
England skipper Ben Stokes is clean bowled by Australia pacer Mitchell Starc in Perth last month
The opening Test of the ongoing Ashes series witnessed the shortest game between Australia and England since 1888. The Perth Stadium produced a pace-friendly wicket offering bounce and immense lateral movement. Australia pacer Mitchell Starc gave England an early blow, dismissing opener Zak Crawley for a duck in the very first over. The visitors recovered to 94-3, but the middle and lower-order batters had no answer to Starc, who finished with his best figures of 7-58, as England were dismissed for 172. Australia, in reply, didn’t fare much better and were eventually bundled out for 132, 40 short of England’s total. It was the same old story for the visitors as they crumbled for just 164. Australia chased the challenging target of 205 without any hiccups in just 28.2 overs, with eight wickets in hand, thanks to a quickfire century by opener Travis Head (123 off 83 balls), as the hosts wrapped up the game within two days.
