Top 5 match figures by New Zealand bowlers against India in test cricket

New Zealand first played against India in test cricket in the year 1956.

New Zealand have a rich cricketing history filled with legendary bowlers. With their home conditions assisting fast bowlers with seam and swing, New Zealand have produced some of the all-time great pacers.

The India vs New Zealand rivalry has been remarkable, with the World Test Championship 2019-21 final being their most high-stakes encounter in which the Kiwis emerged victorious.

This rivalry has been underlined by some terrific individual performances by bowlers. Known for producing some of the greatest fast bowlers in Sir Richard Hadlee, Tim Southee and Trent Boult among others, the Kiwis have also seen a few of their spinners deliver emphatic performances on Indian soil.

In this article, we will look into the five best match figures by New Zealand bowlers against India in test cricket.

Top five match figures by New Zealand bowlers against India in test cricket

5. Hedley Howarth – 9/100, 1969, Nagpur

Hedley Howarth etched his name in the Kiwi cricketing folklore when he picked nine wickets in a match against India at Nagpur in 1969. The left-arm spinner utilized the slow and low Nagpur surface to his advantage to run through the Indian batting lineup.

Hedley’s iconic performance in the game was on the back of his four wickets in the first innings and six in the second. New Zealand won the Nagpur test by 167 runs, levelling the three-match series 1-1. Notably, this was New Zealand’s first test win in India.

4. Sir Richard Hadlee – 10/88, 1988, Wankhede

Sir Richard Hadlee is regarded as the greatest New Zealand cricketer. Hadlee was the face of New Zealand cricket during the late 1970s and 1980s.

He registered match figures of 10/88 against India at the Wankhede Stadium in 1988 and it remains one of the best performances by a foreign fast bowler on Indian soil. Hadlee’s 10-fer included six wickets in India’s first innings and four in the second.

Hadlee’s monumental effort helped New Zealand win the game by 136 runs on the last day.

3. Sir Richard Hadlee – 11/58, 1976, Wellington

Sir Richard Hadlee produced match figures of 11/58 against India in the Wellington test of India’s tour of New Zealand in 1976.

Hadlee’s 11 wickets in the game consisted of four in India’s first innings and seven in the second. His brilliance in the second innings helped New Zealand restrict India to just 81 runs in the final innings of the game. New Zealand won the test by an innings and 33 runs, to level the series 1-1.

2. Mitchell Santner – 13/157, 2024, Pune

Mitchell Santner’s best performance in test cricket came against India in the second test of New Zealand’s tour of India in 2024. On a spin-friendly pitch in Pune, Santner picked up seven wickets in the first innings, rolling out India for the score of 156.

Santner’s heroics continued in the second innings when the left-arm spinner picked up a fifer to hand New Zealand a win in the game. Santner also contributed 33 runs with the bat in New Zealand’s first innings.

1. Ajaz Patel – 14/225, 2021, Mumbai

Ajaz Patel entered the record books by becoming only the third bowler in test cricket to take ten wickets in an innings. Patel’s extraordinary 10-wicket haul (10/119) came against India in Mumbai during New Zealand’s 2021 tour of India.

Ajaz’s performance allowed New Zealand to bowl India out for 325 in their first innings. In the second Indian innings, Ajaz picked up four wickets for 106 runs.

Ajaz’s performance, however, could not guide New Zealand to a win, with India eventually winning the game by 372 runs.

(All stats updated till 26th October, 2024)

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