New Zealand achieved a remarkable eight-wicket victory, marking their first Test win in India since 1988. They successfully chased down a target of 107, dominating the home team early on the final day of a rain-affected match on Sunday.
After bowling India out for a dismal 46 in the first innings and scoring 402 in response, New Zealand managed to dismiss Rohit Sharma’s team for 462 in the second innings, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Will Young (48 not out) and Rachin Ravindra (39 not out) kept their composure under pressure after losing two early wickets, ensuring New Zealand’s third victory on Indian soil in 38 attempts since 1955.
New Zealand captain Tom Latham reflected on their strategy, saying, “It was probably a good toss to lose. The players bowled exceptionally well in the first innings, and that set the tone for us. We anticipated India’s comeback in the third innings, and our seamers did a fantastic job.”
As play resumed after a rain delay, New Zealand faced a shaky start. Latham was dismissed lbw by Jasprit Bumrah on the second ball of the day. Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj troubled the New Zealand batsmen in the morning session, aiming for a historic comeback after giving up a first-innings lead of over 350 runs.
Despite the challenges, Ravindra, who had scored a century in the first innings, guided New Zealand safely before Young hit the winning runs.
Rohit Sharma acknowledged India’s disappointing first innings but highlighted the positives from their second innings, where Sarfaraz Khan scored 150 and Rishabh Pant added 99 runs, providing some hope.
“It was a good effort in the second innings,” Rohit admitted. “We knew we had to score as many runs as possible after the first innings setback.”
This series, which also includes matches in Pune and Mumbai, is part of the World Test Championship. India entered the series aiming for a strong performance to enhance their chances of reaching the World Test Championship final for the third consecutive time in June 2025. Now, they will need to fight hard to maintain their impressive streak of 18 straight home series victories since 2012.
