New Zealand’s first ever victory in India after 36-years

The Buzz like it is created when any of the SENA countries visits India, wasn’t seen this time around, the day New Zealand landed India for a three match test series. Perhaps, the supposed indifference leading by the fact of Kiwis inability to win even a single test match for 36 years or the heft around the Border Gavaskar Trophy overshadowed the significance of the battle against NZ.

Driven by the epoch-defining win by Sri Lanka in a two match test series that eventually came after fifteen years led the Kiwis to contend for if anything their stand like they always do in a herculean situation, in the series against India started October 16th. And even if there is no camouflage in that the Sri Lanka’s toil was the matter of their success, the Asian spin-tending surface can’t be brushed aside and which, of course, ought to have been another buckle waiting for them as India wouldn’t shilly-shally on giving a tough spinning wicket.

As it turned out, the first test held in what it known for is the batter friendly pitch in Bangalore didn’t placid at all owing to the overcast weather and that all New Zealand needed with first day crucified on rain. And then Rohit Sharma opting to bat on toss was a bit of jarring pondering the dark clouds hovering over the ground though Kiwis intent was also to ball second. That was the perfect bowling conditions and even though it was a complete debacle against Sri Lanka, you expect New Zealand to elevate their game especially when hit on the back like they invariably do it during the ICC tournaments.

The fact that Bangalore always termed as the batter’s paradise, the cold atmosphere made New Zealand feel that they are not playing anywhere away of their home. To their credit, the likes of Tim Southee and Matt Henry done exactly what they did in then the overcast weather in World Cup’19 semi-final, decimated the formidable Indian line-up making full utilization of seaming and swinging conditions. The cherry on the cake was the young-dynamo William O-Rourke who took 4 for 22 in his only 5th test match.

India bashed for 46 in first innings, the third all-time lowest inning total for them, is being widely compared to that 36-all out back in Adelaide during 2020-21 season. Lot of brouhaha was created, and statements were made over the direness in batting techniques leaving no mercy for the recently turned head coach Gautam Gambhir who in one of the press conferences claimed India to be an adaptable team.

When it took almost 46 years to get brush for 36 all-out after now the second lowest that came in 1974 in the Lord’s against England, another catastrophe coming in just four years’ time may raise the serious concerns even if it was all for bowlers in Bangalore. Rohit Sharma’s incessant grapple against the inswingers is what makes the doubt creeping in mind essentially when the runs are not coming your way and that exactly transpired this time around. He continued to wrestle from the first ball and then tried to step-out against the kind of wobble seam from Tim Southee that swung inside the wickets and beaten the gap between bat and pad.

In Kohli’s case, it was an uneven bounce however if you take a closer look, this seemed a tailor-made plan – like they did it during WTC final 2019 against Rishabh pant to throw searing bouncers from around the wicket with deep backward square leg alongside – which the Indian ace batter didn’t expect as the ball hit his gloves for an incredible catch at the leg slip. It wasn’t the only time Kohli.

As it was obvious that the Indian captain had to tackle the tough questions at the press conference after the end of day’s play, Rohit generously replied to those.

“You see and you try and make the judgement. Sometimes you make the right call, sometimes you don’t, and I was on the other side of it this time around,” said Rohit.

“So, what if we put ourselves under pressure a little bit? We want to play well. We want to challenge ourselves. This time around, it didn’t come off. To the challenges that were thrown at us, we didn’t respond well; and we found ourselves in a situation where we got bowled out for 46 runs. As a captain, it definitely hurts to see that number, but in 365 days you’ll make two or three bad calls. That’s okay,” he added.

The sun was out as New Zealand came to bat and there were obvious signs of what India could have done if opted to bowl first. It looked like the ball started behaving differently and coming over to bat sweetly pumping India agitated with every delivery bowled. Kiwis were ahead by 21 runs until the first wicket was gone. And it was a detractor for India as the play of day 2 ended, where New Zealand stood ahead by 134 runs with Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell popping up on the crease.

The day 3, as everyone wanted, started with India’s rebound taking four wickets in quick succession, however to India’s embarrassment, all went in vain when inscrutable partnership began to build between insatiable Ravindra and Southee and India tend to stumble again. Driven by the partnership of 137 for eighth wicket took New Zealand past 400 denoting a fortress lead of 356.

While it was the only fourth biggest first innings lead ever taken by a visiting team in India, the approach shown by the hosts chasing down the trail exemplifies what India is known for their never capitulate attitude. From get-go, India maintained an aberrative run rate around 5 an over courtesy Rohit Sharma and dynamite Yashasvi Jaiswal adding 72 runs for first wicket before Jaiswal going down the track and getting stumped from Tom Blundell. Rohit then didn’t take much time in having dismissed by Patel again where the ball taking an edge of the bat and drifted into the stumps before Rohit could have a got a sense of it, leaving India down 2 for 95.

It was now on Kohli again like he did for several years and Sarfaraz who had just risen with couple of his affable knocks against England earlier this year. And they played according to their stature taking India past 200 until the last ball of the day which was a good length delivery turned straight after pitching and Kohli’s bat took an edge in an anticipation of ball coming into the stumps, ending the day being a tragedy for India. The scoreboard stood at 231/3.

Day 4 was nothing but all doom-mongering for India’s loss, courtesy the Indian megastar Rishabh Pant who always embarks in need, yet again pumped up on narrating the 177-runs partnership with Sarfaraz before the latter caught at the extra cover by Azaz Patel on 150 heading India 4 down for 408 now. And then remaining six batters didn’t imbibe more than one-and-a-half hour to shatter the innings for 462 asking Kiwis to chase only a handy total of 108.

And it was just a matter of time for New Zealand to hunt it in about 27.4 overs to stamp an 8 wickets win being a maiden one that came after 36 years in India.