That’s it! New Zealand have created a history by beating India in India for the first time since 1988 when the John Wright-led outfit scripted a fabulous 136-run Test victory over Men in Blue at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. The 36-year-old jinx was broken as Kiwis, courtesy of Will Young’s 45 and Rachin Ravindra’s 39, went past the victory target of 107 in 27.4 overs in India vs New Zealand 1st Test Day 5 at Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. Kiwis won by 8 wickets. A proud moment for the Blackcaps and a blip for India in their bid to book a place in the World Test Champion Final in 2025. Rachin received the ‘Player of the Match’ award for his superb hundred in the first innings.
India vs New Zealand 1st Test Day 5 – A Thrilling First 10 Over as Bumrah, Siraj Bamboozle Kiwi Batters with Swing and Seam
After an enthralling Day 4 where New Zealand were on the brink of a historic win over India, dark clouds made them wait due to wet conditions. The fifth day of the India vs New Zealand Test Match at Bengaluru got underway after an hour from the scheduled start.
Jasprit Bumrah started with a bang by trapping Tom Latham leg before wicket on the second ball of the day. Terrific start for the Indians! Jasprit Bumrah almost had Will Young in his next over by missing his outside edge by a whisker. However, Will Young opened New Zealand’s account by clipping a delivery towards long leg for a couple.
Devon Conway picked his first runs of the day by flicking Siraj at long leg for a couple. Siraj and Bumrah continued to probe with incisive bowling as Conway and Young looked circumspect. Will Young hit the first boundary of the day by glancing a delivery to the fine leg for four off Siraj. The next over saw Conway driving to the deep extra cover region to get his first boundary of the day. He hit his second boundary on the last ball, albeit with an outside edge that went to the deep backward point region. The first ten overs of the India vs New Zealand 1st Test Day 5 saw Kiwis putting on 21 for 1.
India vs New Zealand 1st Test Day 5 – Kiwis Continue to Struggle with Bat
Bumrah continued to beat New Zealand batters with swing and seam. However, Will Young steered a wide delivery off Siraj to deep backward point for a boundary on the second ball of the 12th over. He played a tremendous pull shot in that over, demonstrating his confidence on a wearing surface. The next over saw Devon Conway putting away an incoming delivery from Bumrah to the mid-wicket region for four. However, Bumrah trapped him leg before wicket the next ball to leave New Zealand at 35 for 2 in 12.3 overs. Conway scored 17 off 39 deliveries, hitting three fours.
Rachin Ravindra got a boundary on the first ball he faced as he steered one into the gully region for four before picking Bumrah for another boundary in the deep mid-wicket region. It seemed like Rachin was batting on a different track! Will Young top edged while sweeping Ravindra Jadeja. However, it went over the wicketkeeper’s head to the fence for four. In that over, he played a confident cut short to the deep backward point fence for four. With that, he brought up New Zealand’s fifty in the second innings.
Rachin, Young Help NZ Script a Fabulous Win on a Tricky Day 5 Surface at Chinnaswamy
Ravindra Jadeja nearly got the wicket of Rachin with a delivery that kept low after pitching. Unfortunately, the ball beat everything on the way on the boundary. Rachin, a couple of balls later, went back and slapped Jadeja to the deep point region for a boundary, taking New Zealand to 62 for 2 in 16 overs. What baffled many was Rohit Sharma’s reluctance to bring India’s ace spinner Ravichandran Ashwin into the attack.
Will Young stepped out to hit Kuldeep Yadav into deep mid-wicket stand, helping New Zealand gallop to 73 for 2 in 19 overs. Meanwhile, Will Young got injured as he attempted to play a sweep off Jadeja which bounced to hit his neck. Rachin stepped out to hit two boundaries off Kuldeep Yadav in the 21st over, one into the off-side and another into the leg-side. Then he scored three runs into the deep mid-wicket region to bring up the 50-run partnership for the third wicket with Will Young. Young, in the next over, was dropped as Jadeja could not hold on to a chance on his follow-through. The tall right-hand batter brought up New Zealand’s 100 by reverse sweeping Ashwin for a boundary behind the wicket.
Young went on to hit the winning runs for India by cutting Jadeja to the right of the short third-man fielder for four. New Zealand, courtesy of this win, broke the 36-year-old jink. The last time New Zealand won a Test match in India was way back in 1988.
