India vs New Zealand Head to Head rivalry is fascinating and one of the most competitive showdowns in International cricket. And down the decades these two cricketing powerhouses have treated us to countless such classic clashes across all three formats — Test, ODIs and T20s. Over the years, this rivalry has only grown stronger and fiercer especially in ICC tournaments as both teams bring their a-game into high-pressure games. As the sunrise of a new day dawns high above, we take an in-depth look into India vs New Zealand head to head records consisting of key stats, individual performance & some unforgettable moments making it one cherished rivalry.
India vs New Zealand Head to Head in Tests, ODIs and T20I | World Cup
The India vs New Zealand Head to Head record, shows quite a well-balanced competition in which both sides have dominated each other at different times. Below are the head-to-head stats between teams in each different format of cricket.
India vs New Zealand Head to Head in Tests:
- Total Matches: 63
- India Won: 22
- New Zealand Won: 13
- Draws: 28
Historically, India has always had its nose in front against New Zealand on track to perdition. India has typically relished a home advantage on the turners of subcontinental pitches that offer significant assistance to the spinners, and performances therefrom are dominant. But New Zealand is a team that has proved stubborn, especially in their backyard where the conditions are conducive for seam and swing bowling. It has helped the Kiwis script what in recent years have been some memorable wins against India, by exploiting these conditions like no one else.
In 2020, New Zealand destroyed India with a well-deserved series sweep at home which is the most notable Test of the decade between these two sides and confirmed that Kiwis can be extremely strong in their yard. At the same time, India’s 2016-17 home victory over New Zealand by a margin of 3-0 confirmed that they can be exceptionally strong in spin-friendly conditions as well.
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India vs New Zealand Head to Head in ODIs:
- Total Matches: 116
- India Won: 58
- New Zealand Won: 50
- No Result/Tied: 8
Head to Head record in ODIs (excluding ICC T20 World Cup & Champions Trophy)India vs New Zealand The India Vs New Zealand head to head record is much more closely written with a narrow lead for team India. ODIs between these two units across time are characterized by some fierce contests and tight finishes. Among them, New Zealand has sort of emerged as India’s nemesis in ICC events having beaten the Men In Blue on several occasions including knockout matches.
One of the most iconic matches in this rivalry comes from the 2019 World Cup semi-final when New Zealand defeated India with a lower total, which prevented India’s final aspirations. With this match, the pickle make again reminded me of how India vs New Zealand’s head-to-head record in ODIs is quite evenly balanced and that both teams can beat each other any day.
India vs New Zealand Head to Head in T20Is:
- Total Matches: 22
- India Won: 12
- New Zealand Won: 9
- Tied: 1
Head To Head: In T20Is, India led New Zealand Some of the most exhilarating and unpredictable contests between these two sides have been in this shortest format. New Zealand and India produced some memorable T20I games in the last four years, as their strengths have covered each other’s weaknesses — New Zealand defending sub-200 totals and India chasing down big scores.
One of the other most exciting T20I series was in 2020 when India trounced New Zealand as they blanked them by a margin of 5-0, thus emphasizing their upcoming hegemony over this format. Yet recent glory in the 2007 T20 World Cup and subsequent series victories show that New Zealand are a force to be reckoned with when it comes to Twenty20 cricket.
India vs New Zealand Head to Head in World Cups (ODI and T20I):
- Overall Matches: 12 (9 ODIs, T20I -3)
- India Won: 4
- New Zealand Won: 8
India vs New Zealand Head to head in World Cups is the most interesting of all. World Cup has always thrown up bad experiences for India against New Zealand which is almost a nemesis in the Quadrennial tournament, outclassing their rivals on more occasions than not. From the 2019 ODI World Cup semifinal to group-stage matches in previous tournaments, New Zealand has moved past India when it mattered most.
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But the battle has been more even in T20 World Cups, with both sides clinching wins over one another. The 2007 T20 WC itself was one of the first early signs of just how competitive their tussles will develop into; something that New Zealand gave glimpses of in this match by upstaging India.
India vs New Zealand Head to Head: Highest Totals
In One-day cricket also we have seen some high-scoring games between India and New Zealand Head to Head rivalry. The highest team totals between them:
- India’s Highest Test Total: 583/7 declared, Wellington, 2009
- New Zealand’s Highest Test Total: 680/8 declared, Wellington, 2014
Kolkata 2009 Their previous highest score against New Zealand in Tests had come at home, during a series where Gautam Gambhir and Sachin Tendulkar pulverised the bowling. By contrast, New Zealand’s largest Test tally against India came in 2014 when Brendon McCullum made a triple and this led to an epic draw.
- India’s Highest ODI Total: 392/4, Christchurch, 2009
- New Zealand’s Highest ODI Total: 349/7, Rajkot, 1999
Sachin Tendulkar, and MS Dhoni feast on New Zealand again in India’s highest ODI score vs Kiwis In 1999, a combined effort with the bat had seen New Zealand register their highest ODI score against India.
- India’s Highest T20I Total: 208/5, Hamilton, 2019
- New Zealand’s Highest T20I Total: 219/6, Wellington, 2009
Both teams can score heavily in T20IS. In Hamilton, the site of a thrilling match that was decided in the last over and where Rohit Sharma went on a rampage during his 42-ball 87 to set India up for the highest total against New Zealand. In 2009, when Brendon McCullum was at the height of his powers, New Zealand posted their best T20I score against India.
India vs New Zealand Head to Head: Lowest Totals
The India vs New Zealand Head to Head record also features some low-scoring games, often in bowler-friendly conditions where both teams struggled to post big totals:
- India’s Lowest Test Total: 81, Wellington, 1976
- New Zealand’s Lowest Test Total: 94, Hamilton, 2002
Both teams have also had their batting collapses in the Tests. The Wellington Test of 1976 happened when the New Zealand bowlers ran through India. New Zealand on opposite tasted their worst against India in 2002—being shot out by Indian spinners.
- India’s Lowest ODI Total: 88, Dambulla, 2010
- New Zealand’s Lowest ODI Total: 79, Visakhapatnam, 2016
Dambulla as well was the location where New Zealand bowled India out for a miserable 88, which stands as their lowest total against them in ODIs. They were skittled for 79 in an ODI at Hamilton where conditions favoured Indian spinners. (PTI)
- India’s Lowest T20I Total: 101, Nagpur, 2016
- New Zealand’s Lowest T20I Total: 111, Delhi, 2017
Both sides have suffered the occasional off-day in T20Is. New Zealand last time turned the tables at Nagpur on India’s counterpart spinners hammering their score to win a one-sided contest in the 2016 T20 ODI World Cup. New Zealand’s T20I lowest score against India: was 111 (9/32) in which Indian bowlers had manacled their batsmen.
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India vs New Zealand Head to Head: Most Runs in All Formats
India vs New Zealand Head to Head at the time had different players who scored runs consistently for their team in all formats:
Most Runs in Test Matches:
- For India: Rahul Dravid – scored 1,659 runs in 15 matches.
- For New Zealand: Ross Taylor – scored 1,276 runs in 14 matches.
For India, the anchor of India’s batting lineup, Rahul Dravid inculcated technique and resilience to score the most runs against New Zealand in Tests. On the other side, Ross Taylor’s high-scorer batsmanship has led to the scoring of most runs against Team India.
Most Runs in One-Day Internationals:
- For India: Sachin Tendulkar – scored 1,756 runs in 42 matches.·
- For New Zealand: Ross Taylor – scored 1,382 runs in 38 matches.
Sachin Tendulkar, the master blaster has scored the most runs against New Zealand helping India whenever the team needed the most in ODIS. And again, Ross Taylor stands as the highest run-scorer against India.
Most Runs in 20i International:
- For India: Virat Kohli – scored 426 runs in 13 matches·
- For New Zealand: Colin Munro – scored 426 runs in 14 matches .
Virat Kohli’s chase-master innings have able to get India victories against New Zealand which may be the cause of him being the highest run-scorer for India in 20 20 against New Zealand. And again, Colin Munro for New Zealand.
India vs New Zealand Head to Head: Most Wickets in All Formats
The Bowlers also contributed significantly to the India vs New Zealand Head to Head fixture, with many players continuing to take wickets across formats.
Most Wickets in Tests:
- For India: Anil Kumble- took 74 wickets in 11 matches.
- For New Zealand: Richard Hadlee (65 wickets from 14 matches)
The legendary spinner Anil Kumble is India’s highest wicket-taker against New Zealand in Tests for his match-winning spells, which has capped crucial partnerships. One of the finest ever, Richard Hadlee and his pace-swingers have been a torment for Indian batsmen down the years.
Most Wickets in ODIs:
- For India: Javagal Srinath 51 wickets from 29 matches
- For New Zealand: Daniel Vettori – 33 Matches,44 Wickets
Javagal Srinath: The Indian speedster was the leading wicket-taker in ODI’s for India vs New Zealand. Daniel Vettori: The intelligent left-arm spin of Daniel has never been easy for the Indian batsman to face as he always keeps picking wickets at regular intervals in the middle overs.
Most Wickets in T20Is:
- India: Jasprit Bumrah — 12 in ten (10 matches)
- New Zealand: Tim Southee -15 games, 16 wickets
India is heavily reliant on Jasprit Bumrah to provide them early blows in T20Is against New Zealand Tim Southee, who has got the ball to swing away from India’s right-handers at pace over the years too.
India vs New Zealand Head to Head: Most Hundreds in All Formats
Centuries in India vs New Zealand Head to Head matches is a great feat as both the bowing attack are world-class offences
Most Hundreds in Tests:
- In the books of India: Sachin Tendulkar — 24 games, 6 tons.
- New Zealand: six centuries in 15 matches (Kane Williamson)
Sachin Tendulkar, who was simply the master of perfectionist techniques and class scored the most number of Test centuries for India against New Zealand. Another modern-day great for New Zealand, Kane Williamson too has six centuries to his name and he frequently leads the Kiwis’ charge against India.
Most Hundreds in ODIs:
- With the willow, For India: Sachin Tendulkar — 5 centuries in 42 matches
- For New Zealand: Nathan Astle – 4 centuries in 29 matches
Not just in Tests, Sachin Tendulkar tops the list in ODIs as well for India with his centuries more often than not saving Indian innings. NATHAN ASTLEHis aggressive batting earned him the record for most centuries by a New Zealander against India in ODIs.
Most Hundreds in T20Is:
- Top performer for India: Rohit Sharma – 2 hundred in 14 games
- New Zealand: Colin Munro – 2 hundreds in 14 matches.
It is Rohit Sharma who has scored two T20I hundreds, and his ability to bat long made him an effective participant for India. Such has been Munro’s brutal hitting at the top, that he is one of only two Kiwi players to have as many as 2 T20I hundreds against this formidable Indian outfit alongside Latham -showing just how fiercely these encounters are fought on level pegging.
India vs New Zealand Head to Head: Last 5 Match Stats
The India-New Zealand rivalry has become the stuff of legends in itself, with proven cricket from either side leading to some hotly discussed series downtime.
- 1st Test, Wellington: 2020: New Zealand by 10 wickets New Zealand bowlers made India crumble with the bat and beat them convincingly.
- 2nd Test, Christchurch, 2020: New Zealand won by 7 wickets Kyle Jamieson was instrumental in both games as the Kiwis went 2-0 up.
- 1st ODI, Hamilton, 2020: New Zealand by four wickets An unbeaten century by Ross Taylor saw New Zealand to a challenging chase in the greatest of crunch matches.
- 2nd ODI, Auckland, 2020: New Zealand by 22 runs Today was a real team effort and it is good to go two up in the series.
- 3rd ODI, Mount Maunganui, 2020: New Zealand beat India by five wickets in the third ODI at Tauranga. New Zealand clinched the ODI series with a 3-0 victory, driven by half-centuries from Henry Nicholls and Colin de Grandhomme
Now what? The results of these past games make the rivalry between New Zealand and Australia one of the best in conditions where New Zealand mostly wins when it matters.
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Conclusion
The India vs New Zealand Head to head rates rivalry as a very interesting fight between two competitive teams with plenty of memorable moments in history. The two teams have had spells of dominance, standout individual performances and exceptional team display driving the outcomes in their meetings. From the grind-and-grind of Tests to the sizeable skirmishes in ODIs to finally, evolving into a turbulent spectacle on the T20 field, there is no relaxation or time-off for Asian giants India as they prepare themselves once again for one of the most highly rated head-to-head rivalries yet-future battles against the team from Kiwi land.
This rivalry is going to be alive as it changes colours with the emergence of new talents and old ones coming back to achieve something analogous in this Check India vs New Zealand Head to Head clash. Certainly, fans of both teams can expect more fierce battles between these two cricketing heavyweights, as they vie for supremacy at the very top level.
