When India Last Won A Test In New Zealand, MS Dhoni Was Skipper, Sachin Tendulkar Was Playing And Virat Kohli Was Yet To Make His Debut

As Virat Kohli's Team India surrendered the 2nd Test inside 3 days vs New Zealand, it dawns upon us that we have failed to win a Test in their den since 2009. In the last 6 Tests, we have lost 3 and drawn 3. 11 years is a long time. So when it did last happen?

We rewind to 2009. India and New Zealand met in Hamilton for the 1st Test of the series. Who was in charge? None other than Captain Cool MS Dhoni. Who was our main batsman? The Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar. Where was Kohli? Well, he had not yet made his Test debut, it would come a couple of years later. In fact he was not even a regular member of the ODI side. Of course all that would change in the coming years.

But back to the game. Dhoni won the toss and opted to field. He then sat back and saw his bowlers dismantle the hosts slowly but surely. Ishant Sharma was the chief destroyer with 4/73 and at one point New Zealand were on the ropes at 60/6. Centuries from Jesse Ryder and Daniel Vettori helped them recover to 279. Still it was not a total that would challenge the might of the Indian batting. It didn't.

Half-centuries from Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid set the tone for the match. Even Zaheer Khan contributed with a fifty. But the man who stole the show was Sachin. His 160 effectively forced the Kiwis to bow in submission as he plundered the bowling. India finished with 520, a lead of 241, a telling factor in a game of Test cricket.

The hosts could not do any better and once again were sent packing for 279. This time it was Harbhajan Singh who took 6/63 to ensure India needed just 39 runs to win the game. We did it without losing a wicket and it was a huge statement, that we were here to win the series. The next 2 games ended in draws and we took home the rubber.

Now fast forward to 2020, it's a new team on both fronts. Dhoni no longer plays Test cricket, Sachin has been retired for nearly 7 years and Kohli is leading the side plus is also the premier batsman. But the result has been different. In 2009 we were not yet World No. 1, but we became so by the time the year ended. We did not lose the top spot until the disastrous series in England 2 years later. As of now we are the No. 1 Test side and had won our last 7 games, been unbeaten in our last 9 before the series. Now we have lost 2 Tests inside 7 days, not exactly a performance expected from the best Test side.

So the quest to win a Test in New Zealand after a long time shall have to wait until we come again, whenever that is. In 2014 we almost did it. Chasing a target of 407, we fell just 41 short of the target. In the 2nd match we had a 246-run first innings lead and had them on the ropes at 94/5. Then it went all over the place as Brendon McCullum (302), BJ Watling (124) and Jimmy Neesham (137*) powered the hosts to 680/8. We ended up drawing the match and losing the series.