List of India’s most embarrassing Test run-chase failures over the years

Soumyajit Dutta

India after loss to SA at Eden Gardens [Source: AFP Photos]India after loss to SA at Eden Gardens [Source: AFP Photos]

After what seemed like India palming a sure-shot victory against South Africa in the 1st Test at Eden Gardens on Day 2, the spinners Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer routed India to step away in defeat. The five-day affair was cut short into three as India collapsed dramatically in their chase of 124 runs.

However, this epic fail is only two out of many that Men in Blue recorded in their list of shame. Here's a detailed list of the lowest targets India failed to chase down in cricket.

5) 193 vs England at Lord’s (2025)

The first one on the list is from a match that India recorded this year itself. In the third Test at London at Lord's on July 10, 2025, India failed to chase down a target of 193 against England after covering a massive lead of 387. 

In the second innings of the Test match, England managed to gather 192 runs off the lead, and while chasing the target, Yashasvi Jaiswal, fell for a duck. Skipper Shubman Gill disappointed with 6, while Rishabh Pant also failed and was sent back for just 9 runs. 

It was only Ravindra Jadeja who top-scored with 61 and stayed unbeaten on the ground, as Mohammed Siraj, who tried his best to defend 29 balls, was ultimately dismissed by Shoaib Bashir and India were wrapped up within 170 runs, handing England a win by 23 runs.

4) 176 vs Sri Lanka at Galle (2015)

In the first Test at Galle against Sri Lanka, India also had a woeful fate. As Sri Lanka was wrapped up inside 183 in the first innings, India took a heavy lead after Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli's centuries. 

However, Sri Lanka replied back with Dinesh Chandimal's 162 and significant contributions from Kumar Sangakkara, Lahiru Thirimanne, and Jehan Mubarak. 

With 367 on board, India had 176 runs to chase, where Rangana Herath became the nightmare for Indian batters. Herath struck the top and middle order of the men in blue to lead the dramatic collapse with a 7-wicket haul as Tharindu Kaushal cleaned up the tail end to flay India for just 112 runs and win the Test match by 63 runs.

3) 147 vs New Zealand at Wankhede (2024)

Back in 2024, India faced a riveting New Zealand side and had a series of worrisome plays. In the third Test at Wankhede on November 1, New Zealand came in to bat first and took a lead of 235 runs. 

Though Jadeja and Washington Sundar were the pick of the bowlers with 9 wickets between them, India managed only a skimpy lead by piling up 263 on the board, with Shubman Gill's 90 headlining the Indian batters' contributions. 

However, New Zealand came in with a moderate reply to put up 174 on the board as India was left with 147 runs to chase. Coming in to chase, Yashasvi Jaiswal was gone for just 5 runs as Glenn Phillips struck early. 

Ajaz Patel accounted for 6 wickets, which saw Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli depart for just 1 run. Phillips cleaned up Ashwin and Akash Deep to bundle India out for just 121 runs inside 30 overs to seal the victory by 25 runs.

2) 124 vs South Africa at Eden Gardens (2025)

It was a nightmare for India at Eden Gardens on Day 3 of the 1st Test against South Africa in November 2025. The Men in Blue, led by stand-in skipper Rishabh Pant, saw a stupendous collapse while chasing a target of a mere 124 runs on an astonishingly turning Kolkata pitch. 

While India managed to bundle the Proteas inside 159 and 153 runs in their two innings, respectively, India's batting also suffered against Harmer's hurricane.

Simon Harmer scalped 4 wickets in the 1st and 2nd innings to weave India's painful dismissals that saw KL Rahul top scoring with his 39 across two innings of Indian batters batting against the visitors. While chasing 124, the Indian top order collapsed as Mohammed Siraj gave away the last wicket to Keshav Maharaj by getting a thick edge at the slip.

1) 120 vs West Indies at Bridgetown (1997)

Winding back almost two decades, in 1997, India failed to chase a total of 120 runs against West Indies in the third Test at Bridgetown in March. India replied with a solid 319 runs to West Indies’ 298-run lead in the first innings, which was headlined by Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s unbeaten 137-run knock. 

However, West Indies filled up the trail quickly but got strangled inside 140 runs as Abey Kuruvilla picked five wickets alongside Venkatesh Prasad’s three wickets, with Stuart Williams going out for a duck. 

With just 120 runs needed for the chase, India failed to pile up even 100 runs. Ian Bishop’s four-for, alongside Curtly Ambrose and Franklin Rose’s three-fers, sealed India’s fate inside 81 runs as VVS Laxman top-scored with only 19 runs before West Indies won the match by 38 runs.