List of test cricket matches won by New Zealand against India in India

New Zealand played test cricket against India in India for the first time in 1955.

New Zealand’s journey in India in test cricket has been full of challenges and not much success. The Black Caps played test cricket in India for the first time in 1955. Since then, though, they have played over three dozen tests in this country, the Kiwis have managed fewer than half a dozen test match wins.

Indian pitches, known for helping spinners with sharp turn and bounce, have posed significant challenges for New Zealand over the years. Two primary reasons for New Zealand’s mostly poor performance in India have been their inability to counter Indian spinners while batting and the lack of quality spin bowlers in their arsenal.

While New Zealand have also produced few of the all-time great batsmen and bowlers, their home conditions, which assist swing and seam bowling, have hindered their progress in Asia.

On that note let’s take a look at a list of New Zealand’s test match victories against India in India.

List of test cricket matches won by New Zealand against India in India:

1. Nagpur test, 1969

New Zealand’s first victory in test cricket in India came during the Nagpur test of their 1969 tour. Batting first on a spinning track, New Zealand posted a healthy first innings total of 319 runs.

India replied with a score of 257 giving the Kiwis a handy lead of 62 runs. Batting became more difficult as the game progressed. The deteriorating pitch assisted the spinners throughout the game.

New Zealand on the back of 214 runs in their second innings set India a target of 277 in the final innings of the test. The Indian batting failed again, faltering out for just 109 runs. New Zealand won the test by 167 runs to level the three-match series 1-1.

2. Mumbai test, 1988

New Zealand’s second triumph in test cricket in India came in 1988 when they defeated the hosts by 136 runs at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai.

Batting first in the second test of New Zealand’s 1988 tour of India, the Kiwis posted a fighting first innings total of 236 runs on a spin-friendly pitch. India, in reply, were bowled out for 234 runs, giving New Zealand a slender two-run lead.

New Zealand returned with an improved batting performance then, scoring 279 runs in their second innings. The 282-run target for India proved to be too much as they could only manage 145 runs in the chase. John Bracewell was named Player of the Match for his eight wickets and 84 runs in the game.

3. Bengaluru test, 2024

The third win for the Kiwis in India in test cricket came in Bengaluru during their 2024 tour. After the entire day 1 of the test was lost to rain, New Zealand bowled rocked the Indian batsmen on the second day on a moist pitch at the M Chinnaswamy stadium under overcast conditions.

New Zealand were brilliant in their first innings with the ball, bundling out the Asian Giants for the score of just 46 runs. The visitors then impressed with the bat as well, taking a huge 356-run lead.

The Indian fightback in the second innings saw them score 462 runs, but they could set a target of only 107 runs for the Kiwis.

New Zealand chased down the total comfortably to lead the three-match series 1-0. Rachin Ravindra was named Player of the Match for his excellent hundred in New Zealand’s first innings.

4. Pune test, 2024

New Zealand’s fourth test win in India came in the second match of New Zealand’s tour of India 2024, in Pune. This victory underlined a historic feat for New Zealand cricket as they became the first team to defeat India in a home test series since 2012.

Batting first on a spin-friendly Pune wicket, the Kiwis posted a healthy first innings total of 259. The stars of the innings were Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra, who posted excellent half centuries.

In reply, Indian batting collapsed for the score of just 156, handing New Zealand a lead of 103 runs. The Indian horror batting display saw only Ravindra Jadeja (38) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (30) getting starts. Mitchell Santner was decisive for the Black Caps picking up seven Indian wickets.

In their second innings, New Zealand adopted a more aggressive approach against spin. Their pro-active style helped them extend the lead beyond the 350-run mark, setting up a target of 359 runs for India.

A much improved Indian batting performance in their second innings was not enough to compensate for the first innings collapse. The Indian team scored 245 runs in the last innings, handing New Zealand a 113-run victory. Mitchell Santner was named Player of the Match for his 13 wickets and 37 runs in the game. This win helped New Zealand seal the three-match series 2-0.

(All stats are updated till October 26, 2024)

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