Hyderabad: New Zealand recorded their first Test match win in India in more than three decades after beating India by eight wickets at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Sunday.
New Zealand have thus taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match Test series.
New Zealand dished out an all-round performance and shot India out for a paltry 46 in their first innings to set the tone for the Test match. Riding on a century from Rachin Ravindra (134, 157 balls), 91 from Devon Conway and a useful 65 (73 balls) from Tim Southee, New Zealand scored 402 in their first innings.
The Indian batters did much better in the second innings with Sarfaraz Khan scoring 150 and Rishabh Pant scoring 99 as India scored 462 in their second innings, setting New Zealand a target of 107.
Although Tom Latham was out in the first over to Jasprit Bumrah and later Conway perished to the same bowler, Will Young (48 not out) and Ravindra (39 not out) ensured New Zealand brought up their first Test match win in India after 36 years.
Rachin Ravindra was named the man-of-the-match.
The 356-run lead in the first innings set the tone for New Zealand and India’s woes with the new ball in swinging conditions is something that the team would want to address immediately.
Given that after the next two Test matches, India travel to Australia for five Test matches, they could be greeted with similar conditions – that has pace, bounce and swing – and the Indians must find a way out to deal with the new ball.
India losing all ten wickets for 46 runs in their first innings and seven wickets for 54 runs in the second innings spelt doom for Rohit Sharma’s men.
The last time New Zealand won a Test match in India was in 1988 when they won by 136 runs at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
The win in Bengaluru on Sunday is only the third time New Zealand have managed to win a Test match in India.
The last time New Zealand played a series in India, India won the two-Test match series 1-0 in 2021.
The second India vs New Zealand Test match beings in Pune on October 24.
Brief scores: India 46 & 462 in 99.3 overs (Sarfaraz Khan 150, Rishabh Pant 99, Virat Kohli 70, Rohit Sharma 52, William O’Rourke 3/92, Matt Henry 3/102, Ajaz Patel 2/100) lost to New Zealand 402 & 110/2 in 27.4 overs (Will Young 48*, Rachin Ravindra 39*, Jasprit Bumrah 2/29).
