The second match of the three-match Test series between India and New Zealand is being played at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium (MCA) in Pune. To win this match, India’s target is 359 runs. In this case, the question is whether the Indian team can pull it off, even though the 350+ target has only been achieved once on Indian soil.
New Zealand scored 259 runs in the first innings while India could only score 156 runs. According to the first game data, New Zealand leads by 103 points. In the second game, New Zealand scored 255 runs. Overall, the Indian team has to chase a target of over 350 runs in the fourth innings. Although it is not easy to score so many points in the fourth game, it is also impossible.
Rest between games!
New Zealand were bowled out for 255 runs.
4⃣ wickets @Sundarwashi5
3⃣ wickets @imjadeja
2⃣ wickets @ashwinravi99 #IndiaTeam Need 359 points to win!Scorecard▶️ #INDvNZ | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/ABQKFK2sZt
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 26, 2024
Only once has a target of over 350 runs been successfully achieved in Test cricket on Indian soil. This history was created by the Indian team led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni. In December 2008, India successfully achieved the target of 387 runs against England in Chennai. In that match, master blaster Sachin Tendulkar scored a hundred (103 not out) and India managed to win the match by 6 wickets.
However, in that match, it was opener Virender Sehwag who stole the show… Chasing the target, Sehwag scored 83 runs off just 68 balls, including 11 fours and 4 sixes ball. Sehwag’s stormy innings provided momentum to the Indian team. Yuvraj Singh (85 not out) and second opener Gautam Gambhir (66) also hit half-centuries. Sehwag was voted Man of the Match for that stormy game.
However, India’s most successful run chase in Test cricket was in 1976, which was done on foreign soil. Later, India achieved the target of 406 runs by losing four wickets in the Port of Spain Test match against West Indies. Gundappa Vishwanath (112) and Sunil Gavaskar (102), representing the Indian team, scored hundreds in the fourth innings.
Can the Indian team repeat the history of 2008 in Pune?
The challenge now for the Indian team is to repeat the history of 2008 in the Pune Test match. However, this is not an easy task. First, on day three, he had to wrap up New Zealand’s second innings as quickly as possible. Then the Indian opener will have to get off to a solid start in the run chase. If India gets off to a good start in the fourth innings, then the chances of victory will increase.
Let us tell you that Team New Zealand has not been able to win any bilateral Test series on Indian soil so far. In 1955, New Zealand visited India for the first time and lost 0-2 in five Test matches. After this, the New Zealand team came to India in 1965 and did not get a chance to win a Test this time either. India then defeated their opponents 1-0 in the four Test matches. Four years later, in 1969, the New Zealand team visited India again and won the first Test on Indian soil. This time New Zealand tied the score 1-1 in the three Test matches.
The last Test series between India and New Zealand was held in November 2021. The series was played only on Indian soil, with New Zealand losing 1-0 in both Test matches. If we look at the overall Test series and match record, Team India seems to have the upper hand in this aspect as well.
Total series record between India and New Zealand
Total test series: 23
India wins: 12
New Zealand wins: 7
Tie: 4
New Zealand team’s record in Test matches in India
Total number of Test matches: 37
India wins: 17
New Zealand wins: 3
Tie: 17
Overall Test record between India and New Zealand
Total number of Test matches: 63
India wins: 22
New Zealand wins: 14
Ties: 27
New Zealand ranked 11th in Pune Test: Tom Latham (captain), Devin Conway, Will Young, Lachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Brundle (goalkeeper), Glenn Phillips , Tim Southee, Mitchell Santner, Ajaz Patel, William O’Rourke
India score 11 in Pune Test: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Sarfaraz Khan, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Ravichandran Ashwin, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah.
