New Zealand ends 36-year-wait with eight-wicket victory over India
New Zealand secured their first Test win in India since 1988, defeating the hosts by eight wickets on the final day of the first Test. Chasing a challenging target, New Zealand stayed calm under pressure to seal the victory, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
After bowling India out for a low score of 46 in their first innings, New Zealand replied with 402 runs. India fought back in their second innings, posting 462, but New Zealand’s bowlers had already set the foundation for a memorable win.
New Zealand openers Will Young (48*) and Rachin Ravindra (39*) handled the pressure after losing two early wickets, guiding their team to the 107-run target. This victory marked only the third time in 69 years that New Zealand has beaten India in India, a significant achievement, especially without star batter Kane Williamson, who was out with an injury. With this result, New Zealand became only the third team, after England and Australia, to win a Test match in India since 2013.
Pace bowlers Matt Henry and Will O’Rourke played key roles, taking a total of 15 wickets between them during the match.
New captain Tom Latham, who took over from Tim Southee after their series loss in Sri Lanka, said the win was a special moment for the team. He emphasized how important their efforts with both the ball and bat were in setting up this victory. “It’s been 36 years since we last won here, so this is a proud moment,” Latham said.
The final day didn’t start well for New Zealand as Latham was dismissed for a duck by Jasprit Bumrah on the second ball of the day. Bumrah, along with Mohammed Siraj, put pressure on New Zealand’s batsmen as India fought to make history by winning a Test after conceding a 350+ first-innings lead.
Devon Conway faced tough bowling and hostile crowd reactions before being dismissed by Bumrah for 17. But the wicket began to play easier when Ravindra, who had scored a century in the first innings, arrived. He steadied New Zealand’s chase alongside Young, who eventually hit the winning runs.
India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, acknowledged that their poor first-innings batting cost them the game. However, he praised the team for fighting back in the second innings, where Sarfaraz Khan scored 150 and Rishabh Pant fell just short of a century with 99 runs.
“It was brilliant to see how we fought back after being behind in the game,” Rohit said. “We didn’t let the game slip away. This team fights and doesn’t give up.”
The series will continue with matches in Pune and Mumbai, part of the World Test Championship. India, who arrived in Bengaluru hoping for a big win to boost their chances of reaching a third straight final in June 2025, now face a battle to keep their 18-series home winning streak alive, which dates back to 2012.
