Ind vs NZ: New Zealand script history with a Test win in India after 36 years

The Bengaluru Test is the first Test win for New Zealand in India since 1988 (after 36 years) and just the third win in 37 Test matches on Indian soil for the Kiwis. 36 years is the second longest gap between a win for New Zealand in an away country after they registered their maiden victory in England in 1983 after 52 years, having first played there in 1931.

New Zealand Test wins in India

This is the first time since 2000 and just the seventh instance overall that a visiting team has successfully chased a 100+ target in the fourth innings in India. This is just the second instance when India lost a home Test in the last 10 years after having won the toss and batted first.

The Bengaluru Test is the first time since 1987 that India has lost a home Test against two different teams in the same year, having lost to England in Hyderabad earlier this year. In 1987, India lost against Pakistan at Bengaluru (1986/87 season) and against West Indies at Delhi (1987/88 season). This is also the first time since South Africa’s win in Nagpur in 2010, that a team apart from England or Australia have won a Test match against India in India.

4.29 run rate of New Zealand is the third-highest in a Test match against India in India after 4.92 by Australia at Wankhede in 2001 and 4.35 by England at Visakhapatnam earlier this year. The run rate of 4.08 in this Test is the highest in a Test that happened in India. The 4.64 run rate by India in their 462 runs is the highest for them in a 450-plus total in Tests.

India have lost a Test in Bengaluru after 19 years. Their last defeat at the Chinnaswamy Stadium came against Pakistan in March 2005. Since 1990, India has lost five matches at the Chinnaswamy which is the most defeats at home for India in this period at a particular venue. The second most defeats in the same period came for India at Wankede Stadium (4).

462 by India in their third innings is the highest total for India that ended in a defeat for them at home. The previous highest was their 449 runs in the second innings at the same venue in 2005 against Pakistan.

Highest total in a home defeat for India

Bengaluru loss is only the second time India lost a home Test with an entire day’s play washed out due to rain, the first being the Kolkata Test against West Indies in 1966 (no play possible on the second day).

356 runs lead by New Zealand is the highest first-innings lead for them against India. The previous highest for New Zealand against India was 314 runs at Napier in 2009. 356 runs is also the 5th highest first-innings lead taken against India on Indian soil. This is also the second-highest least taken by Kiwis in the subcontinent after their 363 runs led Bangladesh in Chattogram in 2004.

India’s 46 in the first innings and 462 in the second innings– this is only the second time a team has improved from 1st to 2nd innings scores by more than ten times after South Africa made 390 runs (13 times) after getting all-out for 30 runs against England in 1924 at Birmingham.

416 runs improvement by India is the third highest after 486 runs (from 171 to 657/7d) against Australia at Kolkata in 2001 and 422 runs (from 83 to 505/3d against New Zealand at Mohali in 1999. The 416 runs difference in India’s two scores in this Test is the highest for a team that got bowled out for 50 or fewer in one of the innings.

7 Indian batters scored ducks in this Test – the joint second most for them in a Test match after eight ducks against England in the 1952 Leeds Test. With seven different players having scored a duck in this Test for India, it is the joint second most in a Test after eight Australian batters got our for ducks against England at Old Trafford in 1888.

4.93 economy rate for both teams’ spinners in this Test is the second highest for the spinners in a Test where they bowled 600-plus balls after the Pakistan vs India Lahore Test in 2006 where spin bowlers conceded at (5.13). India’s spinner’s economy rate is 4.83 in this Test against New Zealand is the second highest for them with min 300-plus balls bowled, after (5.60) against South Africa in the Centurion Test in 2010. In a home Test, the previous highest for India’s spinners was 4.53 against England earlier this year at Visakhapatnam.

7/114 by William O’Rourke are the best bowling figures for a New Zealand bowler on a maiden Test in India bettering Dayle Hadlee’s 6/74 at the Brabourne Test in 1969. 17 wickets by New Zealand pacers are also the most a visiting fast bowling unit has taken in a Test against India in India since 19 wickets by South African pacers in Ahmedabad in 2008.