New Zealand’s 8-wicket victory over India in the first Test at Bengaluru has broken a 36-year drought, as the Kiwis claim their first Test win in India since 1988. This win is New Zealand’s third-ever Test victory in India and comes on the back of a commanding performance in both bowling and batting. Here are the key statistical highlights from the match:
New Zealand’s Historic Win in India
- First Test win for New Zealand in India since 1988, ending a 36-year wait. This is just the third Test win for New Zealand in 37 matches on Indian soil.
- New Zealand’s win by 8 wickets in Bengaluru marks their first Test win in India since 1988 (136-run win at Wankhede).
- New Zealand’s 356-run lead in the first innings is their largest against India, and the 5th highest first-innings lead ever taken against India on Indian soil.
India’s Uncharacteristic Defeat at Home
- India lost a home Test after 19 years at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Their last defeat here came against Pakistan in March 2005.
- India’s 462-run total in their second innings is the highest total for India in a home defeat.
- India’s defeat by 8 wickets marks just the second time in the last decade India has lost a home Test after winning the toss and batting first.
Key Bowling Performances
- William O’Rourke took 7/114, the best bowling figures by a New Zealand bowler on Test debut in India, bettering Dayle Hadlee’s 6/74 in 1969.
- New Zealand pacers took 17 wickets, the most by any visiting fast-bowling unit against India in India since South Africa’s 19 wickets in Ahmedabad in 2008.
- India’s spinners conceded at 4.83 in the match, their second-highest economy rate in a home Test since their 5.60 against South Africa in Centurion in 2010.
Batting Highlights
- India scored 46 in the first innings – their second-lowest total in a home Test (after 42 vs West Indies in 1962 at Eden Gardens).
- India improved by 416 runs from the first to second innings, the third-highest improvement in Test cricket history after 486 runs (171 to 657/7d vs Australia at Kolkata, 2001) and 422 runs (83 to 505/3d vs New Zealand at Mohali, 1999).
- Seven Indian batters scored ducks, the joint second-most ducks for India in a Test match (eight ducks against England in 1952 at Leeds).
Run Rates and Scoring Patterns
- New Zealand’s 4.29 run rate was the third-highest run rate for any team in a Test match against India on Indian soil (behind Australia at Wankhede in 2001 with 4.92, and England at Visakhapatnam in 2024 with 4.35).
- India’s run rate of 4.64 in their second innings was the highest in a 450+ total in Test cricket.
- The match’s overall run rate of 4.08 was the highest for any Test held in India.
Significant Test Records
- First time since 1987 that India lost a home Test to two different teams in the same year (lost to England in Hyderabad earlier this year).
- This defeat is only the second time India has lost a home Test with an entire day washed out due to rain. The first instance was in 1966 at Kolkata against the West Indies.
Other Records
- New Zealand’s 356-run lead in the first innings is their highest against India and the second-highest first-innings lead against India in the subcontinent (after Bangladesh’s 363-run lead in Chattogram in 2004).
- 4.93 economy rate for both teams’ spinners is the second-highest for a Test where more than 600 balls were bowled, behind Pakistan vs India at Lahore in 2006 (5.13).
Historical Context
- New Zealand’s 8-wicket victory was the first time a visiting team successfully chased down a 100+ target in the fourth innings in India since 2000.
- India’s 462 in the second innings is the highest total for a losing cause in a home Test match.
- India’s 416-run improvement between innings is the highest for any team that was bowled out for 50 or fewer in the first innings.
This Bengaluru win is a significant achievement for New Zealand, marking a historic Test win on Indian soil and showcasing their dominant performance across both innings. As the teams now prepare for the second Test, India will be looking to bounce back and level the series.
