India vs New Zealand Tests: Top 5 most memorable Tests in India | Cricket News – Times of India

Seldom does a drawn Test leave a lasting impression on the minds of fans. But this one does. India were bundled out for just 83 runs in 27 overs in their first innings. The Test had a delayed start because of a damp pitch and when the then Indian captain Sachin Tendulkar lost the toss, Stephen Fleming had no hesitation in asking India to bat first. Dion Nash took 6/27 as the Kiwis used only three pacers and yet only three Indian batsmen reached double figures.
A rattled India pulled up their socks quickly and pace spearhead Javagal Srinath took 6/45 as New Zealand were bowled out for 215 runs in their first innings.
Indian openers Devang Gandhi and Sadagoppan Ramesh wiped out the first innings deficit with a 137-run stand and then the imperious batting pair of Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar dug in to build on the innings. Dravid (144) and Tendulkar (126*) put on a partnership of 229 runs for the third wicket. Sourav Ganguly smashed an unbeaten 64 off 75 balls as India declared their second innings at 505/3 to set New Zealand a mammoth 374-run target.
Fleming then led from the front and in a fine display of resolute Test match batting, played a determined 73-run knock to save the Test for his side, as the Kiwis ended their second innings at 251/7 despite the Indians trying their very best to get all 10 wickets.
1999 – Ahmedabad, 3rd Test: Match drawn

When a batsman of the calibre of Sachin Tendulkar keeps scoring centuries but fails to convert it into a double century even ten years after his Test debut, people do tend to sit up and take notice. This was the match in which Tendulkar broke that hoodoo and finally got to the landmark double. It was the then Indian captain’s 71st match (110th innings).
Winning the toss and batting first, opener Sadagoppan Ramesh reached his century in the company of Tendulkar after the dismissals of Devang Gandhi and Rahul Dravid.
Tendulkar got to his maiden double century on Day 2 of the Test amidst loud cheers at the Motera and powered by his 217 and Sourav Ganguly’s 125, India declared their first innings at 583/7.
Anil Kumble took 5 wickets as New Zealand were bowled out for 308 runs in their first innings. India declared their second innings at 148/5 to set the Kiwis a 424-run target.
Opener Gary Stead, the current Head coach of the New Zealand side, made a patient 78, but it was the unbroken 121-run stand for the third wicket between Craig Spearman (54*) and captain Stephen Fleming (64*) that helped the Kiwis draw the Test, but India won the 3-Test series 1-0.
2016 – Indore 3rd Test: India won by 321 runs

A batting masterclass followed by a fine exhibition of spin bowling to leave the visitors all at sea. That was the tale of this Test. Winning the toss and batting first, captain Virat Kohli led from the front with a fine 211, coupled with Ajinkya Rahane’s 188 as India declared their first innings at 557/5.
Ravichandran Ashwin then took 6/81 to bowl out New Zealand for 299 runs. Cheteshwar Pujara’s unbeaten 101 enabled India to declare their second innings at 216/3.
Ashwin again ran through the Kiwi batting line-up, taking 7/59 to bundle them out for 153 runs as India won by a massive 321-run margin to complete a 3-0 clean sweep of the series.
2003 – Ahmedabad 1st Test: Match drawn

Another batting marathon, this time led by the class of Rahul Dravid, who was at the peak of his batting prowess at the time.
The trend was to bat first after winning the toss, pile up a big score and let the Indian spinners take advantage of the crumbling surfaces to bowl out the opposition. Indian captain Sourav Ganguly did just that and a Dravid masterclass followed. The India No. 3 brought up his century on Day 1 and the double on Day 2. VVS Laxman scored 64 and then Ganguly scored an unbeaten 100 to declare at 500/5.
Nathan Astle led the Kiwis’ reply with a 103-run knock supported by Craig McMillan’s 54 and Daniel Vettori’s 60 to take the visitors to 340. Zaheer Khan took 4 wickets, but the Kiwis did well enough to frustrate both Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh who could only take 2 wickets each.
Dravid again finished as India’s top run-scorer with a 73-run knock in the second innings. Laxman hit 44 as India declared at 209/6 to set the Kiwis a 370-run target. New Zealand opener Lou Vincent hit 67, but it was Craig McMillan (83*) and Astle (51*) who fought out a draw despite Kumble taking four wickets, as the Kiwis finished at 272/6.
2010 – Nagpur 3rd Test: India won by an innings and 198 runs

Another high scoring match and another big victory for India on home soil with the Kiwis being beaten inside four days at the VCA Stadium in Jamtha, Nagpur.
New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori won the toss and opted to bat first, but Ishant Sharma’s four-wicket haul and Pragyan Ojha’s three-wicket burst saw the Kiwi first innings being folded up for just 193.
Gautam Gambhir (78) and Virender Sehwag (74) put up a 113-run opening stand. Sachin Tendulkar scored 61, but it was Rahul Dravid’s magnificent 191 and his 193-run stand with captain MS Dhoni (98) that eventually powered India to 566/8.
Ishant and Harbhajan Singh took 3 wickets each and Ojha and Suresh Raina scalped 2 each as New Zealand were bundled out for 175 runs in their second innings and comprehensively beaten inside four days by an innings and 198 runs. India won the 3-match series 1-0.