The second match of the three-match Test series between India and New Zealand will take place at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium in Pune. To win this match, the Indian team has a target of 359 runs. In such a situation, the question is whether the Indian team will be able to pursue this target, although the 350-plus target has only been pursued once on Indian soil.
New Zealand had scored 259 runs in their first innings, in response to which the Indian team could only score 156 runs. On the basis of the first innings, New Zealand had a lead of 103 runs. In the second innings, the New Zealand team scored 255 runs. Overall, the Indian team will have to chase the target of 350+ runs in the fourth innings. Although it is not easy to score so many runs in the fourth inning, it is impossible.
Post break!
New Zealand were bowled out for 255.
4⃣ windows for @Sundarwashi5
3⃣ windows for @imjadeja
2⃣ windows for @ashwinravi99 #TeamIndia You need 359 runs to win!Dashboard ▶️ #INDvNZ , @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/ABQKFK2sZt
-BCCI (@BCCI) October 26, 2024
Only once on Indian soil has a target of over 350 runs been successfully pursued in Test cricket. This story was created by the Indian team under the leadership of Mahendra Singh Dhoni. In December 2008, India successfully achieved the target of 387 runs against England in Chennai. In that match, Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar had scored a century (103 runs not out) and the Indian team managed to win the match by six wickets.
However, in that match, opener Virender Sehwag had stolen the show… While chasing the target, Sehwag had scored 83 runs in just 68 balls, which included 11 fours and four sixes. That stormy innings of Sehwag had given momentum to the Indian team. Yuvraj Singh (85 not out) and second opener Gautam Gambhir (66 runs) also played half-centuries of innings. Sehwag was adjudged 'Man of the Match' for that stormy innings.
However, the Indian team's most successful chase in Test cricket came in the year 1976, which it completed on foreign soil. Then, the Indian team had achieved the target of 406 runs in the Port of Spain Test against the West Indies by losing four wickets. On behalf of the Indian team, Gundappa Vishwanath (112 runs) and Sunil Gavaskar (102 runs) played a hundred innings in the fourth innings.
Can the Indian team repeat the history of 2008 in Pune?
Now the challenge for the Indian team is to repeat the history of 2008 in the Pune test match. However, this will not be an easy task. Firstly, on the third day of the game, New Zealand's second innings will have to conclude as soon as possible. So the Indian openers will have to make a solid start in the run chase. If the Indian team starts well in the fourth innings, the hopes of victory will increase.
Let us tell you that so far Team New Zealand has not been able to win any bilateral test series on Indian soil. The New Zealand team toured India for the first time in 1955, when they faced a 2-0 defeat in the five-match Test series. After this, the New Zealand team came to India in 1965 and this time too they did not get a chance to win a single Test. Then India had defeated 1-0 in the 4 Test series. Then after 4 years i.e. in 1969, the Kiwi team toured India and this time they won the first test on Indian soil. This time New Zealand managed to draw the 3-match test series 1-1.
The last test series between India and New Zealand took place in November 2021. This series took place only on Indian soil, where New Zealand had to face a 1-0 defeat in the 2-match test series. If we look at the overall test series and match records, the Indian team seems to have the edge in this too.
India chased down more than 300 targets at home
26 times*
Won 1 (387 vs England Chennai 2008)
14 lost
1 bundle
drew 9 times
Overall record for the series between India and New Zealand
Total test series: 23
India won: 12
New Zealand won: 7
Tie: 4
New Zealand team record in test matches in India
Total Test matches: 37
India won: 17
New Zealand won: 3
Tie: 17
Overall Test record between India and New Zealand
Total Test matches: 63
India won: 22
New Zealand won: 14
Tie: 27
New Zealand plays 11 in Pune Test: Tom Latham (captain), Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell (goalkeeper), Glenn Phillips, Tim Southee, Mitchell Santner, Ajaz Patel, William O'Rourke
India plays 11 in Pune Test: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (goalkeeper), Sarfaraz Khan, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Ravichandran Ashwin, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah.
