The Indian team were at the receiving end of an unpredictable pitch which showed signs of wearing from the first day itself.
India, however, batted well to post 345 runs in their first innings. Shreyas Iyer stamped his authority in the longest format of the game as he scored a hundred on debut in Tests.
Apart from Iyer, opener Shubman Gill and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja also contributed with respective half-centuries.
Variable bounce helped Tim Southee, Kyle Jamieson and Ajaz Patel bring New Zealand back into the game with quick wickets.
Southee registered a superb five-wicket haul while Jamieson also impressed with three wickets. Spinner Patel bowled tight lines and lengths and ended with two wickets in his kitty.
New Zealand batting, on the other hand, also showcased resilience with opener Tom Latham and Will Young scoring gutsy fifties to give their team a good start in the first innings.
However, Indian spinners came into their own on Day 3 with Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin among the wickets again.