History: India vs New Zealand

In their 57-year long cricketing relation, India and New Zealand have played just 50 Tests against each other. The number is much lesser in proportion to what India has with England, Australia or even Pakistan. And while India have won 16 Tests out 50, the Kiwis have only nine victories to their credit. 25 Tests were drawn. One Test in 1998 was abandoned.

Despite the statistics, India always considered New Zealand as one of the toughest opponents. But the Kiwis have always struggled on the sub-continent soil and India have exploited this factor to their advantage. Out of India's 16 Test wins over the Kiwis, 11 came at home.

In 2009, Indian team led by MS Dhoni created history, for they not only sealed a series win after 30 years but also without losing a Test.

New Zealand returned the visit in 2010-11. The two teams played three Tests but only one match produced result and that in the favour of the hosts.

Here is a brief look at the India-New Zealand cricket history.

New Zealand in India, 1955-56

In their first ever tour to India for a five-match Test series, New Zealand were handed a 2-0 defeat. The first Test in Hyderabad was drawn. Polly Umrigar's double hundred was the highlight of the match. Including his double ton, five centuries were scored in the match. After Umrigar, it was Vinoo Mankad's turn to etch a double ton in front of his name. He scored 223 in the second Test in Mumbai, where India took a series lead with a thumping win by an innings and 27 runs. The third and fourth Tests in Delhi and Kolkata were also drawn. New Zealand's Bert Sutcliffe's unbeaten 230 and John Reid's unbeaten 119 runs posted a big total of 450 runs in Delhi, which was easily chased down by the Indian batsmen who fired in unison. The fifth and final Test of the series was played in Chennai. Mankad slammed another double ton of the series and Pankaj Roy scored 173 runs to post a mammoth total of 537 runs. New Zealand collapsed twice chasing and 109 runs short. With this win India finished the series in style.

New Zealand in India, 1964-65

Next series between the two countries came after a gap of nine years when New Zealand returned in 1964. This time they played four Tests but result was not much different from the last one. Only this time, India won the series 1-0. After three drawn Tests, result finally came in the fourth and final Test in Delhi. Srinivas Venkataraghavan took eight wickets in the first innings to bundle out the Kiwis for 262 runs. Batting, India made 465 runs. MAK Pataudi and Dilip Sardesai slammed centuries. Venkatraghavan clicked with the ball in the second innings as well. He picked four wickets, while Venkataraman Subramanya and Bhagwath Chandrashekhar took two wickets each. The Kiwis collapsed for 272 runs, taking a lead of just 69 runs. India got it with seven wickets to spare.

India in New Zealand, 1967-68

India made their first ever New Zealand tour a memorable one with their first overseas series win. India travelled New Zealand in 1967-68 for a 4-match Test series. India started the tour on a winning note at Dunedin. Electing to bat, New Zealand posted a total of 350 runs in the first innings. And while every Indian player chipped in, none except Farokh Engineer and Ajit Wadekar, could cross the 50-run mark. India finished with a nine-run lead. In the second innings, New Zealand's exploits were restricted for 208 after Erapalli Prasanna finished with six wickets. India successfully achieved the target with Wadekar leading the chase with 71 runs. New Zealand leveled the series in Christchurch. Graham Dowling played a brilliant knock of 239 runs to take the total to 502. India collapsed for 288 runs in the first innings. Following on, India managed to score 301. Kiwis won it easily. India bounced back in Wellington. Spinners played the instrumental role in India's win. While Prasanna picked five wickets in the first innings, Bapu Nandlkarni's six-wicket haul in the second, demolished the Black Caps. Prasanna carried his form in to the final Test, picking four wickets in each innings. India won the series 3-1.

New Zealand in India, 1969-70

New Zealand came back in 1969 for a three-match series. India won the series opener in Bombay by 60 runs. After being wrapped up for 156 runs in the first innings, bowlers led India's fightback. Prasanna's four-wicket haul and two wickets each by Bishen Singh Bedi and Ajit Pai ensured the Kiwis did not take a huge lead. They could manage a lead of 73 runs. In the second innings, India took a lead of 333 runs after scoring 260 runs. Bedi and Prasanna got into the demolishing act. They picked six and four wickets respectively to end Kiwis' hopes at 127 runs. The Kiwis fought back hard in the second Test to score a 167-run win in Nagpur. The decisive Test, though was a draw, will not be remembered for good reasons. After rains played a spoilsport, India were made to bat on an uncut pitch. Though they failed to shine, a fan came on to the field to laud batsmen's courage and was injured by a soldier. Hell broke loose and an angry crowd disrupted the match. On the last day of the match, New Zealand were on course of victory when rain came back to bring the series to a damp end.

India in New Zealand, 1975-76

India toured New Zealand for a three-Test series. The first Test in Auckland was won by India. And though Sunil Gavaskar and Surinder Amarnath hit centuries, the spin duo S Venkataraghvan and Prasanna stole the thunder with 8 and 11 wickets respectively. The rain-hit second Test at Christchurch was a draw. New Zealand beat India in the third Test in Wellington. Richard Hadlee was the wrecker-in-chief with 11 wickets. New Zealand scored 334 after bowling out India for 220. In India's second innings, Hadlee took reins in his hand hastily wrapped up the proceedings. The series was drawn.

After the advent of the One-Day Internationals, the two sides also played an ODI series which was won by New Zealand 2-0.

New Zealand in India, 1976-77

New Zealand returned the tour in 1976 to play a three-Test series. While India won the first Test in Bombay, the second one in Kanpur was a draw. And while Indian spinners shone in the first Test, the pacers did it for India in the final Test in Madras (Chennai).

India in New Zealand, 1980-81

India lost this series 0-1. New Zealand's Lance Cairns and Geoff Howarth spearheaded their 62-run win in the first Test in Wellington. The next two Tests at Auckland and Christchurch were drawn.

New Zealand in India, 1988-89

After long eight years, New Zealand came to India for a three-Test series followed by an ODI series. In the first Test in Bangalore, Navjot Singh Sidhu slammed a century. Later Arshad Ayub and Narendra Hirwani shone with the ball to hand India a 172-run win. New Zealand bounced back in Bombay. Richard Hadlee's deadly bowling to guide his side to a 136-run win. In the final Test at Hyderabad, Arshad Ayub once again took control of the match and wreaked havoc in the Kiwis camp. India won the Hyderabad Test and bagged the series 2-1. India also swept the ODI series 4-0.

India in New Zealand, 1989-90

Next year, India visited New Zealand for a three-Test series. In the first Test in Christchurch, after John Wright's 185 runs took New Zealand's score to 459, Danny Morrison spelt doom for India and bundled them out for 164 with his fiver. Following on, all India could muster was 296 runs. The Black Caps won the Test by 10 wickets. The next two Tests in Napier and Auckland were drawn.

India in New Zealand, 1993-94

India toured New Zealand for one off Test that ended as a draw. This match marked the Test debut of Stephen Fleming and it was good one for him as he walked away with the Man of the Match award for his knock of 92 runs in the second runs.

New Zealand in India, 1995-96

The opening Test of the 3-match series was won by India in Bangalore. Local boys Javagal Srinath and Anil Kumble excelled with the ball and bundled out the visitors for 145 runs. In reply, India finished their first innings with a lead of 83 runs. In the second innings, Kumble's five-wicket haul finished New Zealand for 233 runs. India successfully got the required runs to win the match by 8 wickets. The next two Tests at Chennai and Cuttack ended as draws.

India in New Zealand, 1998-99

If you are in New Zealand, rains cannot be far off. The first Test of the tour had to be abandoned. In Wellington, New Zealand defeated India in a thrilling encounter. In the third Test at Hamilton, Rahul Dravid hit a double century but that was not enough to level the series with the hosts. And though India did not lose it, as it was a draw, series was well won by the Kiwis.

New Zealand in India, 1999-00

On the first day of the Test, New Zealand bundled out India for just 83 runs. Dion Nash was the wrecker-in-chief with his five-wicket haul. India bounced back in the second innings with Dravid and Sachin hitting centuries and the match ended as a draw. India won the second Test in Kanpur and the credit goes to spin duo of Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble. In the third Test in Ahmedabad, Sachin slammed first double century of his career. Sourav Ganguly and S Ramesh also slammed centuries. India won the series 1-0. The hosts also clinched the ODI series 3-2.

India in New Zealand, 2002-03

Indians were completely outplayed by the hosts, who swept the series 2-0. India's star-studded batting failed like never before. They struggled against the pace trio of Shane Bond, Daryl Tuffey and Jacob Oram. Dravid showed some resistance in the first Test and scored highest individual score of 76 from the Indian camp on that tour.

India also lost the ODI series 2-5.

New Zealand in India, 2003-04

It was a two-match Test series. The first Test in Ahmedabad saw Rahul Dravid score 222 and skipper Sourav Ganguly 100 runs. India posted a huge score of 500/5. Follow-on was enforced and New Zealand managed to save it. Ganguly did not play the second Test and Yuvraj Singh made his Test debut in front of his home crowd, Mohali. Virender Sehwag and VVS Laxman slammed centuries but that was not sufficient. New Zealand enforced follow-on and India were at 136 for 4 at the close of the Test. Needless to say, the series ended without any result.

India in New Zealand in 2008-09

As mentioned earlier, it was a memorable series for India. India clinched the first Test in Hamilton by 10 wickets, while the remaining two Tests were drawn. First Series win for India in New Zealand after 30 years. Sachin Tendulkar was in tremendous form and was the main architect of India's series win. Indian bowlers Zaheer Khan, Harbhajan Singh and Ishant Sharma also played vital role in the victory.