India ended New Zealand's 10-match unbeaten streak in Test cricket as they beat the World Test champions by 372 runs at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Monday. The 372-run win was India's biggest margin of victory in terms of runs in the longest format of the game. The Virat Kohli-led side won the two-match Test series 1-0 for India's 14th consecutive Test series win at home. Mayank Agarwal was the player of the match for his 150 runs in the first innings and 62-run knock in the second.
Biggest wins for India (by runs):
372 vs New Zealand, Mumbai 2021*
337 vs South Africa, Delhi 2015
321 vs New Zealand, Indore 2016
320 vs Australia, Mohali 2008
This was also New Zealand's biggest defeat by runs in Test cricket. The Blackcaps batted poorly in the second Test where they were bowled out for 62 runs in the first innings and 167 in the second.
Biggest defeats for New Zealand (by runs):
372 runs vs India, Mumbai 2021*
358 runs vs South Africa, Johannesburg 2007
321 runs vs India, Indore 2016
299 runs vs Pakistan, Auckland 2001
Ravichandran Ashwin was the player of the series for his 14 wickets in the 2 Tests. The off-spinner also achieved a few milestones during the two-match series.
After taking the last wicket of Henry Nicholls, he became only the second bowler after Anil Kumble to take 300 wickets in Tests while playing in India. Ashwin now has 300 Test wickets on Indian soil while Kumble leads the tally with 350 wickets.
New Zealand might have lost the game but the match will be remembered for Ajaz Patel's heroics with the ball.
The off-spinner had picked all the 10 Indian wickets to fall in the first innings and became only the third bowler to do so after Anil Kumble (1999) and Jim Laker (1956).
However, the struggle for New Zealand to win a Test series in India continues, having failed to do so in all of their 12 attempts. They had last won a Test match in India in 1988 at Wankhede but have never won a Test series in India.