India vs New Zealand 2024/25, IND vs New Zealand 1st Test Match Report, October 16-20, 2024

New Zealand Hitting 402 (Ravindra 134, Conway 91, Jadeja 3-72) and 110 for 2 (Young 48*, Ravindra 39*, Bumrah 2-29). India 46 (Pant 20, Henry 5-15, O'Rourke 4-22) and 462 (Sarfaraz 150, Pant 99, O'Rourke 3-92) by eight wickets

The exciting Bengaluru Test reached the climax it deserved and New Zealand had to work hard to claim their first Test victory in India in 36 years. Under cloudy skies, the ball was clearly moving back and forth, Jasprit Bumrah was threatening to take a wicket every other delivery and the crowd was enjoying almost every ball, but New Zealand absorbed it all and powered their way to the target of 107 as soon as the Situation calmed down a bit.

Will Young was the calming influence after Bumrah gave Tom Latham the second ball of the day, but Devon Conway did his bit – bouncing around, hitting shots to the body but not playing any loose shots. When Bumrah finally got Conway for 17 off 39 balls, he had reached the end of his reign and New Zealand already had 35 on the board. The fielders did their part and saved at least 11 runs by then.

But then India's misjudgment of the pitch came back to their disadvantage. They didn't have a third seamer to take advantage of the conditions and Young and Rachin Ravindra managed the remaining runs with relative ease.

However, while Bumrah was bowling, it was difficult to see where the next run would come from. He scored 22 misses in eight overs, consistently providing movement from the surface. Latham might have thought he had covered the precise inswinger, but the ball pitched and slammed further in to catch him. Conway thought he had covered the angle around the wicket, but this swung after pitching, started changing path halfway between pitching and reaching Conway, hitting the outside edge and trapping him in front.

Bumrah was now in his seventh over and Ravindra, the first innings centurion, all but sealed the deal when he hit two boundaries in the first three balls he faced. He guided the first ball behind square and then got the rare loose ball from Bumrah – a full ball on the pads.

Young then paddled and hit Ravindra Jadeja to the boundary in his first over to complete the package. Not trusting that the Bengaluru weather would hold after lunch, the two batters attacked the spinners to put a nice little arc on the ball. Young's drop-kick six off Kuldeep Yadav even resembled Mark Waugh.

India staged a remarkable comeback after being bowled out for 46 in the first innings, but in the end New Zealand held out long enough to claim only their third Test win in India.

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