New Delhi:
In the last one year, Virat Kohli’s Indian cricket team have sought to erase some statistical anomalies in countries like Australia and South Africa. In the series against the Proteas, India registered a 5-1 series win, their first series win in South Africa in history to improve their record in the country. In the recently concluded series against Australia, they won the series 2-1 to register a bilateral series win for the first time Down Under. Now, they will be bidding to improve their record in New Zealand, a country where they have struggled in the past. Out of 34 ODIs played in New Zealand, they have managed just 10 wins, their joint-worst overseas after South Africa.
Kohli’s side arrive to face a side who have lost just two series at home in the last five years, one to South Africa and one to England. In the last encounter between these two sides in 2014, New Zealand comprehensively thrashed MS Dhoni’s side in the ODIs. Kohli and his team face an immense burden of history but the team has shown, in performances in South Africa and Australia that they are not burdened by the poor numbers. Here is a look back at the previous India vs New Zealand series in the Land of the Long White Cloud.
Virat Kohli scored a century in Napier but India still lost a game, which is a rarity. (Image credit: Twitter)
1.) India in New Zealand 2014 (Result: New Zealand won five-match series 4-0)
Napier witnessed a slice of history in the first ODI as Virat Kohli slammed a century while chasing but India lost. It was the first time such a fate befell the Indian team as they lost a close game against an inspired New Zealand side by 24 runs. In a rain-affected game in Hamilton, New Zealand came out on the right side of the Duckworth-Lewis method to take a 2-0 lead in the series. In a humdinger in Auckland, New Zealand hit 314 and a late blitz from Ravindra Jadeja ensured the game was tied. Ross Taylor’s century in Hamilton gave them the series and an all-round show from the Kiwis in Wellington ensured India ended the series without a single win.
Virender Sehwag was in top form for India in their only series win in New Zealand in 2009. (Image credit: Twitter)
2.) India in New Zealand 2009 (Result: India won the five-match series 3-1)
MS Dhoni’s blazing 84 gave India the perfect start in Napier as they won by 53 runs. A wash-out in Wellington meant the series was still wide open. Sachin Tendulkar blasted 163, Yuvraj Singh 87 and Dhoni 63 in Christchurch as India notched up 392/4. New Zealand gave a spirited reply but they ended up 58 runs short. Virender Sehwag blasted 125 off 74 balls in the Hamilton ODI to give India their first-ever series win. However, New Zealand salvaged some pride as they won the final game in Auckland by eight wickets.
The 2003 New Zealand tour was tough for India, getting bowled out for low scores in every game. (Image credit: Twitter)
3.) India in New Zealand 2003 (Result: New Zealand won seven-match series 5-2)
In the World Cup year, New Zealand decided to roll out pitches which favoured bowlers and India were found wanting. In a series punctuated by low scores, New Zealand got the better of India in most of the games. In the first ODI at Auckland, New Zealand won by three wickets in their chase of 109. In Napier, they survived a Sehwag hurricane to win by 35 runs. India were bowled out for 108 in Christchurch and the hosts won by five wickets. In Queenstown, New Zealand claimed the series by chasing down 123 with seven wickets to spare. In Wellington, Yuvraj’s 54 and Zaheer Khan’s 34 gave India something to smile with a two-wicket win. In Auckland, Sehwag blasted 112 but a collapse almost resulted in embarrassment for India. Ashish Nehra held his nerve as India won the game by one wicket. In Hamilton, India were bowled out for 122 and New Zealand won the game by six wickets.
Rahul Dravid was the star of the 1999 tour to New Zealand as he hit a century and a fifty. (Image credit: Twitter)
4.) India in New Zealand 1999 (Result: Five-match series drawn 2-2)
Rahul Dravid smashed 123 in Taupo but New Zealand chased down the target in a match affected by a power failure as they won the game by six wickets via Duckworth Lewis method. India bounced back in style with a tense two-wicket win in Napier and after a wash-out in Wellington, the series hung in the balance. In Auckland, Dravid hit a fifty along with Ganguly as they won the match by five wickets. Any hopes of a series win were dashed in the final match in Christchurch as Chris Cairns hit 115 and Chris Harris’ 4/40 helped New Zealand level the series 2-2.
Sachin Tendulkar opened for the first time in international cricket during the tour in 1994. (Image credit: Twitter)
5.) India in New Zealand 1994 (Result: Four-match series drawn 2-2)
A hat-trick from Danny Morrison in Napier gave New Zealand a 28-run win in the first ODI. In Auckland, India bowled New Zealand out for 142 and the match saw Tendulkar open the batting for the first time ever. He smashed 82 off 49 balls as India thrashed the Kiwis by seven wickets. Tendulkar (63) and Navjot Singh Sidhu (71) helped India reach 255/5 but Anil Kumble took 5/33 to help them win by 12 runs in Wellington. India’s hopes of a series win were extinguished when New Zealand won the final game in Christchurch by six wickets with a ball to spare.
