India vs New Zealand, 1st Test - Live Cricket Score, Commentary

A rare loss for India at home. They had a lot going against them in this one but they put up a strong fight. New Zealand become only the third team after England and Australia to win a Test in India since 2013. The Bengaluru weather proved to be New Zealand’s 12th man. Overcast conditions aided their seamers when they bowled first and almost as if they had ordered it, the sun came out and flattened the deck when they came out to bat. It’s now 1-0 to New Zealand with two games to go. We move to Pune next where New Zealand will likely not be the beneficiaries of friendly conditions. Three pacers or three spinners for India? If three spinners, Siraj or Akash Deep? With Gill likely to be fit, who goes out? If Kane returns who makes way? That is coming up on the 24th. Until then, this is Anurag Hegde signing off on behalf of Ramakrishnan MS and Siva take care and goodbye.

Remember, Dinesh Karthik will answer your questions after the 1st Test vs. New Zealand! Send them in using #heyCB on X to be featured in our next episode.

Now that the game is done the Indian team is having a training session with Shubman Gill batting on the practice wicket in his whites against the likes of Akash Deep and Prasidh Krishna. Gill then takes a few throw-downs.

Stats by Shashikant Singh

This is the first Test win for New Zealand in India since 1988 (after 36 years) and just the third win in 37 Test matches on India soil, Instances:
Win by 167 runs, Nagpur, 1969
Win by 136 runs, Wankhede, 1988
Win by 8 wickets, Bengaluru, 2024*

This is the first time since 2000 a visiting team has successfully chased a 100+ target in the fourth innings in India

Highest innings total in a home defeat for India
462 vs NZ, Bengaluru, 2024*
449 vs PAK, Bengaluru, 2005
436 vs ENG, Hyderabad, 2024
424 vs AUS, Bengaluru, 1998
412 vs ENG, Chennai, 1985

Victories after no play possible on first day in India
IND vs NZ, Chennai, 1976
IND vs AUS, Mohali, 2013
NZ vs IND, Bengaluru, 2024*

Inclement weather aside, this Test was a real treat to viewers. It was laced with so many exemplary and mesmerising performances from both sides. Anurag Hegde picked up these game-changers.

It was Matt Henry that was in the spotlight on the first morning. Overcast skies, moisture in the surface and movement off the seam was what he found when he turned up - conditions that he would be very familiar with and he made the most of them. Having hit the right lines and lengths with perfect consistency, Henry simply allowed the pitch to shine and get him the rewards - it was like a skilful violinist extracting the finest tunes out of his Stradivarius.

Rachin Ravindra played the innings of the game. The openers set the stage and Ravindra stole the show. While the first half of his innings was a demonstration of his immaculate technique, his dynamism came to the fore as the innings progressed. The same balls which he might’ve creamed through the covers were being dispatched into the stands as he went to 100 and beyond. Playing with a sense of control and maturity that’s akin to experienced legends of the game, the 24-year old dominated and played one of the best innings by a Kiwi on Indian soil.

In the face of tremendous pressure and expectations, Sarfaraz Khan unfurled an inimitable masterclass to lead India’s counter-attack. All the cheeky and unorthodox shots he made a name for himself playing were on full display as he left the New Zealand captain scratching his head. A man who loves getting big hundreds, Sarfaraz carried on and turned his maiden Test century into a 150 to show everybody that what he can do in domestic cricket, he can at the international level too.

Fearless and brutal but always with a smile on his face, Rishabh Pant’s 99 carried his unmistakably canny flair. After suffering a blow to his knee earlier, many wondered if and how Rishabh Pant would bat. Arriving at the crease with India in crucial position, Pant complemented his partner Sarfaraz and stitched a game-changing 177-run stand before gut wrenchingly falling 1 short of what would’ve been his 7th Test century. Instead he was out for the 7th time in his 90s.

When Will O’Rourke’s 6ft 6in frame steamed in to bowl, it induced confidence in his side and uncertainty in that of the opponents. Hitting hard lengths, extracting extra bounce and generally making life miserable for the batters, his was a bit of a roller-coaster journey in this game. After picking up 4 wickets in the first innings, he endured a weary and unrewarding spell in the second. That was before he returned with a thunderous spell with the second new ball to break the spine of India’s batting order just when they were threatening to gain the ascendancy.

(2/2) I wouldn't say I am looking to attack but I'm hoping to get into good positions that allow me to score. It's just hopefully the way I move allows me to score in different areas. It's not about getting the boundary every time but also about rotating the strike and we speak about that in the team. It's important for us and hopefully that left-right combination frustrates them a little bit. I guess I'm a natural stroke-maker, even in white ball cricket so it's nice to bring that into the Test arena. Whenever I play in Bangalore it's quite nice to have the support. My phone starts blowing up. The fans are great to, I love the support. It's nice having dad and close family here, it always makes it special.

Rachin Ravindra | Player of the Match: (1/2) It's a nice city, nice wicket to bat on. So yea, the odds are in my favour. I guess it's a combination of both (form and preparation). As long as I have clarity of what needs to be done and I know what my plan is it's great. And also having the choice of being able to move forward and back, wasn't trying to take the attack to them but taking care of my positions which is important in this part of the world. Preparation does help. When you've got six Tests in a row you're always looking to do something extra. Lucky enough it all worked out today. I was trying to get a read of different surfaces, red roil and black soil, and seeing what sort of guard I can stand on for different kinds of bowlers. Nets every single day, net bowlers coming in, all that was invaluable experience. Very grateful for those guys putting it on (facilities in Chennai).

Tom Latham: I think we were actually going to bat first as well. Good toss to lose in the end. We put the ball in the right areas for a long period of time and got the results. The first two innings set the game up for us. We knew India would come back at us in the third innings but the bowlers asked nice questions with the second new ball and got the results. We know what a quality side India are in their own conditions. We saw what the new ball did for us so we expected them to do the same to us. We managed to build a couple of partnerships up top and I thought the partnership between Rachin and Tim (Southee) put us on the front foot when the game was in the balance. It was nice to only chase a 100. He (ORourke) has been fantastic at the international stage. Pace, bounce, ability to move the ball in the air and off the wicket. He was backed up by the veteran Southee and Matt Henry as well. The way he (Southee) bowled up top in the first innings probably the set the tone for us beautifully and we know the capability Tim had with the bat. Young guy (Rachin), played Test cricket a few years ago. They way he has played in the last 12 months and sort of slotted into a new role he's not used to.. he showed his class in the first innings. Settled the nerves in our change room with the way he came out and batted today.

Rohit Sharma: It was a good effort with the bat in the second innings. We didn't bat well in the first innings. So knew what was ahead and couple of guys stood out. When you are 350 behind you can't think too much about it. just got to see the ball and bat. Couple of partnerships were really exciting to watch and got us back in the game. We could have easily been bowled out cheaply but proud of the effort. Everyone is on the edge of the seat when those two (Sarfaraz and Pant) are playing. They like the play the game which has got them success. Rishabh, with the way he bats he takes a lot of risks but I thought it was mature innings in the game. Defended good balls and left a few balls and then backed himself to play those shots as well. Sarfaraz showed great maturity as well. He is only playing his 4th Test match and to show that kind of maturity and very clear in his mind what shots he wanted to play. I said in my press conference after Day 2 that we knew it will be sticky early on and challenged with the overcast conditions but we didn't expect to be out under 50. New Zealand bowled pretty well and challenged every corner of our bat and we failed to respond to that. Games like these happen. We will take the positives and move forward. There are guys who have been in this situation before. We lost a game against England and won four games after that. Two Test matches to go and we know exactly what is needed from each one of us. We will try and put our best game forward.

To comeback from 46 all out to score 462 in their second essay showed this team’s immense character and tenacity. The fact that they were even able to get themselves into a position where they could think about winning was an achievement in itself. It takes unfathomable amounts of courage and skill for a side to turn things around so dramatically and in such a short amount of time. So, as horrific as 46 was, India can take a lot of pride in the way they responded to it. As many as five batters got ducks in the first innings but returned to redeem themselves in the second. While Sarfaraz’s 150 and Pant’s 99 personified India’s audacious reprisal, the rest of the top order made important contributions as well. When it was then time to defend 107, India bowled with a lot of heart and had the opposition on the tenterhooks. Unfortunately though, that 46 came back to haunt them and proved to be too much of a burden to carry throughout the game.

Historic achievement for New Zealand, this isn’t just any Test win, it’s their first on Indian soil against 1988 and it’s come against a side that’s at the top of their game and at the top of the WTC charts. The conditions played right into their hands on the second day after the first was washed out and after bundling India out cheaply, they batted superbly to post 402. Rachin Ravindra’s flawless 134 was captivating and it put his side into a commanding position. While India marched their way back into the contest in the second innings, New Zealand held their nerve and struck back sharply when they got their chance with the second new ball. That was where they made things a lot easier for themselves and although they looked on edge while batting last, they endured the difficult phase, played with grit and grabbed their opportunities to score.