India National Cricket Team vs New Zealand National Cricket Team Timeline: Key Matches, Stats & Highlights

The competitiveness of the contest between the India national cricket team and the New Zealand national cricket team has become one of the most captivating encounters of international level cricket. The rivalry between these two camps has over the years produced some exciting matches, performances, and moments that are fondly remembered by fans of the game all over the world. Close-run Test matches, high scoring ODIs and rapid T20 matches have their own flavour of excitement and uncertainty.
Following the development of their matches makes the fans have an understanding of the histories, records and milestones reached on the field. In this article, we present a detailed India national cricket team vs New Zealand national cricket team timeline, highlighting key matches, series outcomes, and iconic cricketing moments that define this enduring rivalry.
Head-to-Head Overview
The cricket rivalry between the India national cricket team and the New Zealand national cricket team is characterized by competitive engagements in all forms- Tests, One Day Internationals (ODIs), and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). In Test cricket, India has played 22 wins to New Zealand 13 and 27 matches drawn. In the ODIs, India has won 60 out of the 118 matches played with New Zealand winning 50 matches.
The T20I venue has been more fruitful to India, who have won 12 of the 25 matches as compared to the 10 that New Zealand have won. The 2019 ICC World Cup semi-final, which New Zealand won by 18 runs against India, and 2023 World Cup where India beat New Zealand in both league and semi-final matches have been notable series.

| Format | Matches Played | India Wins | New Zealand Wins | Draws/Ties |
| Test | 62 | 22 | 13 | 27 |
| ODI | 118 | 60 | 50 | 1 |
| T20I | 25 | 12 | 10 | 1 |
Timeline of Key Matches
India and New Zealand have played in a number of memorable cricket matches with great rivalries and record breaking matches. The matches played by the two teams have been rather close encounters with some of the wins in history making cricketing history.
| Date | Format | Venue | Winner | Highlights/Notable Performances |
| 1955-12-01 | Test | Christchurch | New Zealand | First-ever Test series between India and New Zealand; New Zealand won their first Test at home. |
| 1988-11-17 | ODI | Kolkata | India | Kapil Dev-led India secured a commanding win in the Benson & Hedges Trophy; Navjot Singh’s aggressive batting noted. |
| 1999-03-31 | ODI | Wellington | India | India chased down a challenging target with Sourav Ganguly scoring a match-winning century. |
| 2008-12-25 | Test | Hamilton | India | Historic series win for India in New Zealand; Anil Kumble’s spin dominated the Kiwi batting line-up. |
| 2016-06-10 | T20I | Dharamsala | India | High-scoring T20I; MS Dhoni’s finishing skills led India to a thrilling victory. |
| 2021-11-17 | ODI | Jaipur | India | Record chase; Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul stitched a brilliant partnership to chase over 350 runs. |
| 2023-03-20 | Test | Mount Maunganui | Draw | Notable for Tom Latham’s resilient double century and India’s fighting draw despite follow-on. |
These matches reflect the changing competitive nature between India and New Zealand with each series producing different milestones and memorable moments. With their first victories in history, record-breaking pursuits and outstanding individual performances, the competition has produced quality cricket over the years to the delight of fans the world over.
Historic Series & Iconic Moments
The India vs New Zealand versus New Zealand cricket rivalry has been characterized by a number of historical series and memorable moments which have considerably shaped the dynamics between the two teams.
Historic Series
2000 ICC KnockOut Final: New Zealand won the first ever major ICC title beating India in the final. Chris Cairns century winning contribution was a key element in their winning.
2024 Test Series in India: New Zealand beat India 3-0 in the Test series in India, a first clean sweep over the hosts by New Zealand. This sensational performance halted the traditional Indian dominance within the country.
Iconic Moments
Rahul Dravid 222 in Ahmedabad (1999): As a testimony of his perseverance and sound technique, Dravid played the pivotal role of holding the Indian innings during a tough Test match.
Ajaz Patel 10 wicket Haul (2021) in Mumbai: Ajaz Patel made history as he became the third bowler in Test history to claim all ten wickets in an innings, and his performance has left an indelible mark on the cricket community.
Virat Kohli 50 th ODI Century (2023): Kohli broke the record of most ODI centuries of Sachin Tendulkar, cementing his place in the pantheon of greats.

Legendary Players
India: It is the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Virat Kohli, and Anil Kumble who have created the legacy of the team against New Zealand.
New Zealand: Chris Cairns, Martin Crowe, Daniel Vettori and Kane Williamson are some of the most important players in the success of their team.
The series and incidents have not only characterized the rivalry but they have also been part of the colorful history of cricket.
Key Statistics & Records
ODI Records
Most Runs: Sachin Tendulkar: (India) 1,750 runs.
Highest Individual Score: The best personal score was scored by Shubman Gill (India) with 208 runs in 2023 ODI series.
Best Bowling Figures: Mohammed Shami (India) is the bowler who took 7957 runs in the semi-final of the 2023 World Cup.
Most Runs in a Team: India scored 397/4 during the ODI series 2023.
Test Records
Highest Runs: Rahul Dravid (India) tops the chart with 1,659 runs.
Best Bowling Figures: Ravichandran Ashwin (India) is the best bowler with bowling figures of 7/59.
Best Team Score: India made 583/7 in Ahmedabad in 1999.
T20I Records

Most Runs: Rohit Sharma (India) has 511 runs.
Best Personal Total: Shubman Gill (India) scored 126* in the 2023 series.
Leading Bowling Statistics: Deepak Hooda (India) 4/10 in the 2022 series.
Recent Trends
ODIs: India has 62 victories as compared to New Zealand which has 50 in 120 matches.
Tests: New Zealand whitewashed India 3-0 in 2024.
T20Is: India has been dominant, especially in recent series.
These figures demonstrate the changing nature of the India vs New Zealand cricket rivalry, and memorable moments and records in the various forms.
Final Word
The competition between the New Zealand national cricket team and India national cricket team is one of the oldest rivalries that have paved the way to some exciting games, memorable series and the most memorable individual performances. There have been record-breaking pursuits, even iconic Test victories all of which underline how competitive and skilled both teams are. The India national cricket team vs New Zealand national cricket team timeline showcases a rich history of memorable moments, making every series exciting for fans. Keep tuned to the upcoming matches to get a glimpse of intense cricket action.
Read More: Sri Lanka National Cricket Team vs India National Cricket Team Timeline: Key Matches & Milestones
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