Published: Sep 18, 2016, 04:35 PM (IST)
Edited: Sep 18, 2016, 10:22 PM (IST)
India and New Zealand are all set to lock horns in the first of the three-Test series at Green Park Stadium at Kanpur on September 22. New Zealand have never won a Test series in India and their last win on Indian soil came way back in 1988 under John Wright’s captaincy at Wankhede. India are yet again favourites to win the series, but this Kane Williamson-led BlackCaps team will not go down without a fight. However, these two teams have been involved in a few good contests over the years. Let us see some of the most memorable Tests between India and New Zealand. Full Cricket Scorecard: India vs New Zealand, 1st Test at Kanpur
2nd Test at Wellington, 2014: India won the toss and decided to put New Zealand in. The move turned out to be an excellent one as Indian fast bowlers Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami ran through the New Zealand batting line-up. Ishant finished with figures of 6 for 51 and Shami picked up four wickets giving away 70 runs as New Zealand were bowled out for a mere 192. Ajinkya Rahane’s 118 and Shikhar Dhawan’s 98 had ensured the India finished with 438 on the board. New Zealand were under huge pressure, needing 246 to make India bat again.
India looked set for a huge win as New Zealand lost half their side for just 94 in the second innings. That is when skipper Brendon McCullum and BJ Watling got together and stitched a record-breaking 352-run stand for the sixth wicket to take New Zealand out of trouble. The match belonged to McCullum, who scored 302 and thus became New Zealand’s first-ever triple centurion. James Nisham on debut scored a century as well with New Zealand declaring at 680 for 8, having taken a 434-run lead. In reply India, riding on a century from Virat Kohli ended at 166 for 3. The match ended in a draw and as a result, New Zealand won the two-match series 1-0.
3rd Test at Wellington, 2009: Having won the first Test, India had a chance to win a series in New Zealand for the first time since 1968. But this turned out to be a very close match in the end. If rain had not played spoilsport on the final day, India would have perhaps won the match and sealed the series in a convincing manner. But that did not happen and the match ended in a draw, giving India their first series win in New Zealand in 41-years. New Zealand decided to field after winning the toss and India made 379 in their first innings, with all the batsmen getting starts, but failing to make it big. Chris Martin finished with four wickets. New Zealand in reply were bundled out for just 197, giving India a big lead. Zaheer Khan led the way with five wickets, Harbhajan chipping in with three. READ: Watling’s temperament, technique and sound wicketkeeping skills makes him a potent threat
Gautam Gambhir scored 167 in the second innings to take India to 434, setting New Zealand a mammoth target of 617. Sadly for India, they could not finish the job and the hosts finished at 280 for 8, with Harbhajan once again starring with a four-wicket haul.
1st Teat at Hamilton, 2009: India had not had much success in New Zealand before this match. They made an excellent start to the first of three-Test series at Hamilton. India decided to bowl first and it turned out to be an excellent move as New Zealand found it difficult to cope with the early pressure put on them by seamers Zaheer, Ishant and Munaf Patel. New Zealand had their backs against the wall, before Jesse Ryder and Daniel Vettori joined hands and put on a crucial 184-run stand for the seventh wicket. Ryder scored 102 and Vettori’s played a captain’s innings which came to an end at 118. New Zealand would go on to post a respectable 279.
India in replay put on a mammoth 520 on the board. Little Master Sachin Tendulkar scored a valiant 160, with Gambhir, Rahul Dravid and Zaheer scoring fifties. Needing 241 to make India bat again, New Zealand their first wicket off the very first over of the innings and then kept losing wicket at regular intervals after a 68-run second wicket stand between Daniel Flynn and debutant Martin Guptill. New Zealand just about managed to avoid the innings defeat, getting bowled out for 279, just like they were in the first innings and took a 38-run second innings lead. Needing 39 to win the match, India won the game by 10 wickets. READ: Neil Wagner will test batsmen’s patience
1st Test at Auckland, 2014: In one of the closest matches between the two sides, it was New Zealand who eventually managed to sneak in a 40-run win. It was the first of two matches between them and it was India, who won the toss and elected t field. They would go on to rue the decision as New Zealand took control of the match putting up 503 on the board. Skipper Brendon McCullum top-scored with 224, with Williamson chipping in with 113, batting at No. 3. Ishant was brilliant in the first innings, finishing with superb figures of 6 for 134. He went for runs, but never lost heart and went for wickets all the time.
India had a horrendous time with the bat. Barring Rohit Sharma’s 72, none of the batsmen applied themselves and saw themselves bowled out for just 202. New Zealand did not enforce the follow-on, but struggled with the bat. They were bowled out for just 105, with Shami and Ishant contributing with three wickets apiece. Nevertheless, India were set a huge target of 407. Dhawan scored 115 and Kohli fought it out with 67 as India fell just 40 runs short. Had India gone one to win the match, it would not have only been one of the highest totals chased down, but New Zealand would have rued the fact that they did not ask India to follow-on after taking a 301-run first innings lead. READ: Will Craig match Indian counterparts?
2nd Test at Bombay, 1988: This game is memorable for New Zealand and their fans as this was the last time they managed to win a Test on Indian soil. After suffering a massive defeat at Bangalore in the first Test, many would have expected more of the same in the second Test at Bombay as well. But New Zealand had other plans. Opting to bat first, New Zealand were bowled out for a modest 236. Not surprisingly, the spin trio of Ravi Shastri, Narendra Hirwani and Arshad Ayub shared eight wickets between them. Despite of Krishnamachari Srikanth’s 137-ball 94, India were bowled out for 234, handing New Zealand a slender 2-run lead. Richard Hadlee ran through the Indian batting order, finishing with brilliant figures of 6 for 49. READ: IND vs NZ: Will momentous man Doug Bracewell rise again for visitors?
New Zealand rode on half-centuries from Andrew Jones, Ian Smith and a late contribution of 32 runs from John Bracewell to post 279, to set India a 282-run target. Bracewell would then go on to pick up six Indian wickets, handing his side a series leveling 136-run win. Bracewell was also adjudged man of the match for his eight wickets and a handy knock with the bat in the match.
(Pramod Ananth is a reporter at CricketCountry.com. He is a sport enthusiast and a keen observer of cricket, the contests, and its personalities. When not tracking cricket, he follows the world’s soccer leagues and is somewhat partial towards Liverpool. His Twitter handle is @pramz)
