On Sunday, New Zealand achieved a historic eight-wicket victory over India, marking their first Test win in India since 1988. This remarkable feat came as the Black Caps chased down a modest target of 107 early on the final day of the rain-interrupted series opener.
The foundation for this victory was laid on Saturday when New Zealand dismissed India for a paltry 46 in their first innings, their worst home total ever. In response, the visitors posted an impressive 402, and then bowled out India for 462 in their second innings, setting the stage for a manageable chase.
Despite a wobbly start due to early wickets, Will Young (48) and Rachin Ravindra (39) remained composed, steering New Zealand to a memorable win. This victory marks only their third on Indian soil in 38 attempts since 1955.
New Zealand skipper Tom Latham expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, attributing their success to disciplined bowling and strategic play. “It was probably a good toss to lose,” Latham noted. “The guys came out in that first innings, put the ball in the right areas for long periods of time and managed to get the results. The first two innings of the game set the game up beautifully.”
The final day saw play resume after a rain delay, with Latham falling leg-before-wicket (lbw) to Jasprit Bumrah on the second ball of the day, leaving New Zealand scoreless. Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj’s fierce bowling initially made life difficult for the New Zealand batsmen, with the hosts hoping to achieve an unprecedented comeback after conceding a first-innings lead of over 350 runs.
Devon Conway endured several body blows and intense pressure from the Indian bowlers and fans at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium before falling lbw to Bumrah for 17. However, the wicket turned more favorable with the arrival of Ravindra, whose resilient partnership with Young ensured New Zealand’s victory. Young eventually hit the winning runs, sealing a significant win for the visitors.
Indian captain Rohit Sharma lamented the team’s poor batting performance in the first innings but found positives in their second-innings effort, where Sarfaraz Khan scored 150 and Rishabh Pant made 99. “It was a good effort in the second innings with the bat,” Rohit said. “We didn’t bat well in the first, so we knew what was lying ahead. A couple of guys really stood out and it was great to watch that.”
The series, which includes matches in Pune and Mumbai, is part of the World Test Championship. India, aiming to reach their third successive final in June 2025, now faces a tough challenge to keep their record of 18 consecutive home series victories since 2012 alive.
New Zealand’s triumph not only gives them a 1-0 lead in the three-match series but also highlights their growing stature in international cricket, having now defeated one of the strongest teams on their home turf.
