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There is a certain cruelty to red-ball cricket. When the game turns against the batters, it can resemble less a grandstand for international cricketers and more a ledger for the tally of dismissals.

A team which has long been considered one of the most objective failures in the annals of Test cricket was New Zealand, who were skittled for 26 by England in Auckland in 1955. It became a benchmark of despair that stood unchallenged for many years, until the advent of helmets and a new era of cricket began.

Now, a modern-day equivalent of that dismal performance has occurred. A team has been skittled out for a minuscule score, which will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the worst innings in the history of Test cricket.

The Modern Era's Great Test Cricket Collapses

West Indies were bowled out for a stunning 27 by Australia in Kingston in 2025, not only recording the lowest Test score in the club's history but also the lowest in 25 years – and just one run shy of equaling New Zealand's all-time Test minimum.

It was also a sobering reminder that batting techniques have not evolved to meet the demands of pace bowling mastery.

Five years earlier, India were bowled out for 36 by Australia on an equally infamous Adelaide afternoon in 2020.

THE DUSTBIN OF HISTORY: LOWEST TEST CRICKET TOTALS

1. New Zealand (26) vs. England | Auckland, 1955

2. West Indies (27) vs. Australia | Kingston, 2025

3. South Africa (30) vs. England | Gqeberha, 1896

3. South Africa (30) vs. England | Birmingham, 1924

5. South Africa (35) vs. England | Cape Town, 1899

6. Australia (36) vs. England | Birmingham, 1902

6. South Africa (36) vs. Australia | Melbourne, 1932

6. India (36) vs. Australia | Adelaide, 2020

9. Ireland (38) vs. England | Lord's, 2019

10. Australia (42) vs. England | Sydney, 1888

10. New Zealand (42) vs. Australia | Wellington, 1946

10. Sri Lanka (42) vs. South Africa | Durban, 2024

While 19th-and early 20th-century scores dominate the lower reaches of the list, being typically undressed pitches and primitive equipment, modern-day scores are also far from being safe.

After all, who would have thought that Ireland could have been rolled for 38 in Lord's in 2019 or that Sri Lanka could have been bundled out for 42 in Durban in late 2024?

As T20s shorten the formats, the art of surviving a sustained attack in a Test Match becomes even more precious.

From Auckland in 1955 to Kingston in 2025, the lowest scores are a sobering reminder that in the game of Test Cricket, nothing is further from being safe than it ought to be.