IND vs NZ 1st Test: New Zealand Defeats India After Dramatic Final Day Chase

India’s hopes were briefly reignited when Jasprit Bumrah sent New Zealand captain Tom Latham back to the pavilion for a duck, soon followed by dismissing Devon Conway for 29.
On the fifth day of the first Test match between India and New Zealand, the visitors clinched a thrilling victory, comfortably chasing down the required 107 runs, thanks to an unbeaten partnership between Will Young (48*) and Rachin Ravindra (39*). Despite Bumrah’s early strikes, India was unable to defend their low target, ultimately losing the match after a valiant effort in the second innings.
Sarfaraz Khan’s Heroics in Vain
India’s second innings performance saw a commendable recovery following their disastrous first innings collapse for just 46 runs. Sarfaraz Khan played a brilliant knock of 150, and Rishabh Pant contributed a crucial 99, nearly bringing India back into the game. At one stage, India was cruising at 403/3, but a sudden middle-order collapse saw them all out for 462, giving New Zealand a manageable target to chase.
New Zealand’s bowlers played their part effectively, with William O’Rourke and Matt Henry both claiming three wickets each, breaking the Indian momentum just when they seemed poised to extend their lead.
Rachin Ravindra’s Century and Conway’s 99 Set the Stage
Earlier in the match, New Zealand posted a solid total of 402 in their first innings, led by Rachin Ravindra, who scored 134. Devon Conway narrowly missed out on a century, falling for 99. Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav each took three wickets, while Mohammed Siraj picked up two as India tried to limit New Zealand’s advantage.
India’s disastrous start to the Test match, bowled out for 46 in the first session, left them facing a massive uphill battle. While they fought back with resilience in the second innings, the damage from the early collapse proved too much to overcome.