Unlike India-Pakistan encounters, the cricketing history between India and New Zealand is not as old. Nonetheless, these two sides have established an enriching history of cricket on their own. They have encountered multiple battles, from one-sided affairs to shocking results to individual brilliance. More than anything else, their cricket is studded with attraction, and their matches have always left fans satisfied and craving more.
So, let’s take a look at the cricketing timeline between the Indian cricket team and the New Zealand cricket team. The article will be structured as follows:
- Early Days: 1955–1976
- 1955–56: India and New Zealand’s first-ever Test series
- 1967–68: India vs. New Zealand Test Series (New Zealand tour)
- 1980s–1990s: Even era
- 1988–89: India and New Zealand Test Series (New Zealand tour)
- 1994: India vs. New Zealand ODI
- 1999 ICC World Cup
- 1988–89: India and New Zealand Test Series (New Zealand tour)
- 2000s: India rise and Kiwi resilience
- 2002–03
- 2003 ICC World Cup
- 2002–03
2008–09: Restoring Parity
India came back strongly in New Zealand, clinching the ODI series 3–1 and securing the Test series 1–0—their first overseas series win since the victory in the West Indies in 2006.
2010s: World Cup Drama and Tight Series
2014: The series was in New Zealand, which they won 4–0. Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor were exceptional, and New Zealand dominated at home.
2016: The hosts won the Test series 3–0 and the ODI series 3–2 during New Zealand’s tour of India.
2019 ICC World Cup Semifinal: It was one of the most heartbreaking moments for Indian fans, this time in Manchester. The game was interrupted by the rain and washed out for over two days, and then extended into a thriller as New Zealand knocked India out, dashing the hopes of over a billion supporters.
2020s: High-Stakes ICC Wars and Swings in Momentum
2020: After the tour of New Zealand, the Indian team found the going tough in Tests and ODIs
0–2: lost the two-match Test series
0–3: lost the three-match ODI series
But, India made history in the T20I series by 5–0 whitewashing New Zealand for the first time in a 5-match T20I series.
2021 World Test Championship Final: Rain played spoilsport in the final in Southampton, but New Zealand outclassed India to win the inaugural WTC title. The talking points were Kyle Jamieson’s bowling and Kane Williamson’s assured innings.
2023 ICC World Cup: India got their revenge as they defeated New Zealand to top the group stage and also in the semi-final. It was Virat Kohli’s 117 and Mohammed Shami’s 7 for 58 that were the brilliant individual performances.
Head-to-Head Record
Test Matches Summary
| Category | Stat |
| Total Matches Played | 65 |
| India Won | 22 |
| New Zealand Won | 14 |
| Drawn | 29 |
ODI Matches Summary
| Category | Stat |
| Overall Matches Played | 117 |
| India Won | 59 |
| New Zealand Won | 50 |
| No Result / Tied | 8 |
T20I Matches Summary
| Category | Stat |
| Matches Played | 26 |
| India Won | 14 |
| New Zealand Won | 10 |
| Tied | 0 |
| Drawn | 2 |
Key Players Over the Years
India
The legends that have etched their name are:
- Sunil Gavaskar
- Kapil Dev
- Sachin Tendulkar
- Rahul Dravid
- MS Dhoni
- Virat Kohli
- Rohit Sharma
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Mohammed Shami
New Zealand
Here are some leading performances:
- Richard Hadlee
- Stephen Fleming
- Daniel Vettori
- Brendon McCullum
- Ross Taylor
- Kane Williamson
- Trent Boult
- Tim Southee
Conclusion
From the humble beginnings of a cricketing rivalry, it is now a rivalry of rich intensity and high stakes, particularly on the global ICC stage. India and New Zealand Tests are about good cricket, tactical warfare, and emotional roller coasters for fans.
With both countries possessing top-flight talent and rich cricketing tradition, the India vs New Zealand rivalry promises to get more competitive and intense in the times to come.
FAQs – New Zealand National Cricket Team Vs India National Cricket Team Timeline
The first Test played between the two teams was also the first Test of India’s Test history and was played during the 1955–56 series in India, which India won 2–0.
In a topsy-turvy match marred by rain breaks, New Zealand came out on top against India in a low-scoring encounter. New Zealand made 240 and won by 18.
New Zealand won its first ICC World Test Championship, defeating India by 8 wickets in Southampton.
India won the T20I series 5–0 in New Zealand in 2020, a first in the T20 format.
From India: Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Mohammed Shami
From New Zealand, Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson, and Trent Boult have all regularly made telling contributions.
