New Zealand plays its inaugural Test series in India in 1955. India registers its first-ever away Test series win in New Zealand in 1968 under the captaincy of Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi.
India establishes global away-win capabilities.
1970s – 1980s
The rivalry shifts toward One Day Internationals. New Zealand dominates matches at home with specialized seam bowlers, while legends like Glenn Turner and Richard Hadlee restrict India’s batting line-up.
Emergence of Richard Hadlee as a dominant force.
1990s
Bilateral tours become highly competitive. Sachin Tendulkar opens for the first time in ODIs at Auckland in 1994, smashing 82 off 49 balls to permanently revolutionize modern white-ball cricket.
Opening batting strategies are rewritten globally.
2000s
New Zealand defeats India in the 2000 ICC KnockOut Trophy Final. India struggles on extremely green pitches during the infamous 2002 tour, but bounces back to win an away Test series in 2009.
India adapts to high-seam swing environments.
2010s
New Zealand becomes India’s ultimate hurdle in ICC tournaments. The Black Caps famously defeat India in the 2016 T20 World Cup opener and knock them out in the dramatic 2019 World Cup Semi-Final.
New Zealand gains an edge in world knockouts.
2020s
New Zealand defeats India to lift the inaugural ICC World Test Championship mace in 2021. India avenges its historical ICC hoodoo by crushing New Zealand in the 2023 World Cup Semi-Final.
India breaks the decade-long ICC knockout jinx.
Major ICC Global Tournament Knockouts Timeline
Tournament Edition
Match Location
Tournament Stage
Match Winner
Definitive Margin of Victory
ICC KnockOut 2000
Gymkhana Club Ground, Nairobi
Tournament Final
New Zealand
Won by 4 Wickets
ICC Cricket World Cup 2019
Old Trafford, Manchester
World Cup Semi-Final
New Zealand
Won by 18 Runs
ICC World Test Championship 2021
Rose Bowl, Southampton
Final Championship Match
New Zealand
Won by 8 Wickets
ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023
Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
World Cup Semi-Final
India
Won by 70 Runs
Format-by-Format Head-to-Head Records
Match Format
Total Matches Played
India Wins
New Zealand Wins
Matches Drawn
Tied or No Result
Test Matches
62
22
13
27
0
One Day Internationals
117
60
50
0
7
T20 Internationals
25
12
10
0
3
Highest and Lowest Team Totals Records
Team Name
Record Category
Match Format
Runs Scored
Opposing Bowling Unit
Match Venue
New Zealand
Highest Team Total
Test Match
680 for 8 dec
India
Basin Reserve, Wellington
India
Highest Team Total
Test Match
583 for 7 dec
New Zealand
Ahmedabad
India
Highest Team Total
One Day International
392 for 4
New Zealand
Christchurch
India
Lowest Team Total
Test Match
46 All Out
New Zealand
M. Chinnaswamy, Bengaluru
New Zealand
Lowest Team Total
One Day International
79 All Out
India
Vizag
Iconic Individual Batting Performances Timeline
Batter Name
Team
Runs Scored
Match Format
Boundaries Hit
Match Venue
Brendon McCullum
New Zealand
302 Runs
Test Match
32 Fours, 4 Sixes
Wellington
Shubman Gill
India
208 Runs
One Day International
19 Fours, 9 Sixes
Hyderabad
Virat Kohli
India
117 Runs
One Day International
9 Fours, 2 Sixes
Wankhede, Mumbai
Martin Guptill
New Zealand
105 Runs
One Day International
10 Fours, 3 Sixes
Auckland
Iconic Individual Bowling Performances Timeline
Bowler Name
Team
Bowling Figures
Match Format
Economy Rate
Match Venue
Ajaz Patel
New Zealand
10 Wickets for 119 Runs
Test Match
2.48
Wankhede, Mumbai
Srinivas Venkataraghavan
India
8 Wickets for 72 Runs
Test Match
1.75
Delhi
Mohammed Shami
India
7 Wickets for 57 Runs
One Day International
5.94
Wankhede, Mumbai
Shane Bond
New Zealand
6 Wickets for 19 Runs
One Day International
2.11
Bulawayo
Primary Venues Hosting the Rivalry
Stadium Name
City Location
Average First Innings Par Score
Total Format Matches Hosted
Dominant Surface Characteristic
Eden Park
Auckland
240 Runs (ODI)
28 Matches
Drop-in pitches with short straight boundaries.
Wankhede Stadium
Mumbai
260 Runs (ODI)
14 Matches
Red soil offering extra bounce and evening swing.
Basin Reserve
Wellington
315 Runs (Test)
12 Matches
High wind factors with heavy green grass cover.
Eden Gardens
Kolkata
250 Runs (ODI)
11 Matches
True bounce assisting spinners in later sessions.
Final Verdict
The historical timeline reveals that while India maintains a statistical upper hand in overall bilateral series wins and matches played on subcontinental turning tracks, New Zealand remains an exceptionally dangerous opponent in ICC tournament knockouts. The tactical discipline of the Black Caps on green, seaming wickets creates a perfectly balanced and unpredictable rivalry whenever these two nations face off.
