New Zealand's historic 8-wicket win against India after 36 years.

Bengaluru 20 October (VNI) Under the misty skies of Bengaluru, New Zealand recorded a rare and historic victory over India. In this match, the Kiwi team defeated India by 8 wickets. It was after 36 years that New Zealand had beaten India in a Test match. Prior to this, New Zealand had only won two matches against India in Test history, making this the third time the Kiwis have repeated such a feat.

According to sports experts, the primary reason for India’s defeat was the toss. Indian captain Rohit Sharma won the toss on the second day, after rain washed out the first day, and chose to bat first—an expensive decision for India. Early on, the pitch offered a lot of assistance to the bowlers. The fast bowlers were able to swing the ball at will. As the game progressed, the sun came out and the pitch started to help the batsmen. If New Zealand had batted first, the pitch would have settled by the time India took their turn, benefiting the Indian team. However, the opposite happened, and New Zealand fully capitalized after India’s batting.

When William Young hit a boundary off Ravindra Jadeja to cross the modest target of 107 with eight wickets in hand, he was elated. The foundation for this victory had been laid when New Zealand bowled India out for just 46 runs in the first innings. However, the Kiwis also fought hard in their first innings and put India under pressure again with the second new ball on the fourth day, ensuring this long-awaited victory after 36 years.

The day began with clouds overhead and hopes for the home team. The second ball of the day brought a glimmer of hope for a miraculous comeback. Jasprit Bumrah made it happen. After bowling a fast swinger, he brought the ball in and trapped Tom Latham in front. Everyone, from Bumrah to the slips, made a loud appeal, and the crowd—acting like a 12th man—tried its best to pressurize the visiting team. This moment rekindled India’s hopes, although the sunlight soon dimmed them.

Everyone prayed that the sun would stay behind the clouds, as the new ball had caused chaos for the batsmen under cloud cover, while it seemed much less dangerous under the sun. The heat from the sun would also dry up the moisture in the pitch, making batting easier. New Zealand only needed a few small contributions to reach the target of 107.

Siraj troubled Devon Conway after conceding a leg-side boundary. The ball narrowly missed the bat, but did not find the edge. Conway had another close escape on the next ball when a short-of-length delivery from Bumrah struck his glove, but he quickly moved his bottom hand away, and the ball fell harmlessly to the ground. The crowd sighed in disappointment.

Conway continued to find himself in uncomfortable positions—Bumrah troubled him repeatedly—but he managed to hold on. With soft hands, he dealt with a rising delivery. India kept a tight grip on the scoring—only nine runs were scored in the first seven overs—but only wickets could turn the game in their favor.

The pitch, like the weather, played a two-faced game with India. The sun favored New Zealand for most of the new ball spell, but just as the Indian bowlers' spell neared its end, the sun hid behind the clouds again.

New Zealand knew they only needed to survive the new ball spell; they didn’t need to do anything risky. Once the ball lost its shine, batting would become easier. Still, India didn’t give up. Bumrah swung the ball both ways, unsettling both Young and Conway. Siraj also created trouble for the batsmen at intervals. But as time went on and wickets didn’t fall, India’s chances of winning gradually diminished.

Finally, in his seventh over, Bumrah struck Conway on the pads, giving India a flicker of hope. The umpire denied the appeal, but Rohit Sharma immediately went for a review, and the decision was overturned.

This rekindled hope briefly, but Rachin Ravindra, who had been New Zealand’s hero in the first innings, eased the pressure by hitting two boundaries. Around the same time, the sun came out again, almost as if signaling the breaking of Indian hearts.

A change in bowlers became necessary. Siraj, who was fatigued, was replaced by Ravindra Jadeja. Young, who had earlier missed out on a boundary, struck two consecutive fours off Jadeja, taking New Zealand past fifty. Soon, Bumrah was removed after an exceptional eight-over spell. By then, India’s hopes of a victory were only an illusion. Young and Ravindra gradually piled on the runs, targeting Kuldeep Yadav’s deliveries, and carried New Zealand to this rare and historic win.