The Indian cricket team and the New Zealand cricket team go a long way as far as their cricketing history is concerned.
The two teams, who are among the best cricketing nations in the world, faced each other for the first time in a Test match in 1955, which ended in a stalemate.
All-rounder Polly Umrigar smashed a double century in the first innings to help India post a total of 498/4 before declaring the innings. A couple of New Zealand innings followed post that, including a follow-on. However, a winner could not be decided and the match ended in a draw.
India and New Zealand have met in some high-profile matches in the past, the most recent being the World Test Championship 2019-2021 final held at the Lord’s Cricket Ground. The Kiwis won the inaugural edition of the WTC by eight wickets, where Kyle Jamieson was named the Player of the Match for taking seven wickets.
Two years before the WTC final, the two sides locked horns in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, where New Zealand won an entertaining contest by 18 runs. Ross Taylor and skipper Kane Williamson scored fifties to put up 239/8 in 50 overs. In reply, India fell short despite Ravindra Jadeja and MS Dhoni’s fighting knocks of 77 and 50, respectively.
Overall, the two sides have squared off in 204 encounters across formats, with India having a dominant record in all three disciplines of the game.
Here’s a look at the two teams’ records in each format.
India vs New Zealand head-to-head in cricket
| Format | Matches | India won | New Zealand won | Draw/Abandoned/NR |
| Test | 63 | 22 | 13 | 28 |
| ODI | 119 | 58 | 50 | 11 |
| T20I | 25 | 12 | 10 | 3 |
| Total | 205 | 92 | 73 | 42 |
India vs New Zealand in World Cups
| Tournament | Matches | India won | New Zealand won | Draw/Abandoned/NR |
| 50-over World Cup | 9 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
| T20 World Cup | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Total | 12 | 3 | 8 | 1 |
India vs New Zealand cricket records and stats
India vs New Zealand Test records
Highest team total in a Test innings: New Zealand declared at 680/8 in the second innings of the second Test during the India tour of New Zealand in February 2014.
Lowest team total in a Test innings: New Zealand were bowled out for 62 runs in the first innings of the second Test during the New Zealand tour of India in December 2021.
Most runs in Tests: India’s Rahul Dravid has accumulated the most runs in India vs New Zealand Test encounters, with 1659 runs in 15 Tests at an average of 63.8.
Most wickets in Tests: Team India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin is the best bowler between the two sides, with 66 wickets in nine clashes at an economy of 2.59.
Highest individual score in Tests: Brendon McCullum scored 302 in 559 balls in the second Test at Wellington in February 2014, which also happens to be his highest score in the longest format of the game.
Best bowling figures in Tests: New Zealand left-arm spinner, Ajaz Patel scalped 14 wickets while conceding 225 runs in the second Test of the New Zealand tour of India 2021. Moreover, he became only the third bowler to scalp all 10 wickets in an innings. However, his heroic effort went in vain as India emerged victorious by a staggering 372 runs.
India vs New Zealand ODI records
Highest team total in an ODI innings: India put up a massive total of 392/4 against New Zealand in the third ODI of the Kiwis’ tour to India in 2009.
Lowest team total in an ODI innings: Chasing a target of 270 runs, the Kiwis were bowled out for 79 in the fifth ODI of New Zealand’s tour of India in October 2016.
Most runs in ODIs: India’s Sachin Tendulkar has scored 1750 runs in 42 India vs New Zealand contests with the help of five tons and eight half-centuries.
Most wickets in ODIs: Former Team India fast bowler Javagal Srinath has taken 51 wickets from 30 matches against the Kiwis at an economy of 3.93.
Highest individual score in ODIs: Team India batter Shubman Gill hit 208 off 149 balls, which included 19 fours and nine maximums, in the first ODI of the New Zealand tour of India 2023.
Best bowling figures in ODIs: Shane Bond rattled the Indian batting line-up with his fiery spell of 6/19 in the second match of the Triangular Series in 2005 involving Zimbabwe, New Zealand and India. The right-arm pacer is also the fourth-fastest player to reach 100 ODI wickets.
India vs New Zealand T20I records
Highest team total in a T20I innings: India scored 234/4 in the third T20I of the New Zealand tour of India in 2023.
Lowest team total in a T20I innings: New Zealand were bundled out for just 66 runs in the third T20I of the New Zealand tour of India in 2023.
Most runs in T20Is: Rohit Sharma has amassed 511 runs in 17 matches against New Zealand at a strike rate of 141.16, which includes six fifties.
Most wickets in T20Is: Kiwis spinner Ish Sodhi has grabbed 25 wickets in 20 contests against India at an economy of 7.53.
Highest individual score in T20Is: Shubman Gill scored a 63-ball 126* hird T20I of the New Zealand tour of India in 2023, which had 12 fours and seven sixes.
Best bowling figures in T20Is: Deepak Hooda’s 4/10 derailed the Kiwis batters in a run chase of 192 in the second T20I of the India tour of New Zealand in November 2022.
Featured photo: MICHAEL BRADLEY / AFP
