India National Cricket Team vs New Zealand National Cricket Team Timeline (2026): Complete Head-to-Head Stats, Records & Match History
One of the fiercest rivalries in international cricket is between the India national cricket team and the New Zealand national cricket team. India has been the dominant force in bilateral series, and New Zealand has built a reputation for incredible performances in the ICC tournaments like the memorable World Cup and World Test Championship wins. This article is written on the memorable matches played between these two teams from 1955 until now in Test cricket, One-Day Internationals (ODIs), and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is).
From legends like Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, MS Dhoni, and Virat Kohli to Rohit Sharma for India and New Zealand greats Richard Hadlee, Stephen Fleming, Brendon McCullum, Kane Williamson, and Ross Taylor, as well as Trent Boult, this rivalry has tons of moments. This article covers the full India National Cricket Team vs New Zealand National Cricket Team Timeline: Full Schedule, Records of each format, Series Backgrounds, both teams’ overviews, and latest stats.
India National Cricket Team Overview
| Category | Details |
| Full Name | India National Cricket Team |
| Nickname | Men in Blue |
| Governing Body | Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) |
| ICC Full Member | Since 1926 |
| First Test | 1932 |
| First ODI | 1974 |
| First T20I | 2006 |
| Home Ground | Multiple Venues across India |
| Test Captain | Rohit Sharma (latest completed cycle) |
| ODI Captain | Rohit Sharma |
| T20I Captain | Suryakumar Yadav |
| Head Coach | Gautam Gambhir |
India is among the most successful cricket teams in history. The Men in Blue have won multiple ICC trophies, including the Cricket World Cup, ICC Champions Trophy, ICC T20 World Cup, and ICC World Test Championship runners-up finish. India has consistently ranked among the world’s strongest teams in all three formats.
New Zealand National Cricket Team Overview
| Category | Details |
| Full Name | New Zealand National Cricket Team |
| Nickname | Black Caps |
| Governing Body | New Zealand Cricket |
| ICC Full Member | Since 1930 |
| First Test | 1930 |
| First ODI | 1973 |
| First T20I | 2005 |
| Home Grounds | Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton and others |
| Test Captain | Tim Southee (latest completed cycle) |
| ODI Captain | Tom Latham |
| T20I Captain | Mitchell Santner |
| Head Coach | Gary Stead |
New Zealand has earned worldwide respect for its consistency, sportsmanship, and ability to perform under pressure. The Black Caps became ICC World Test Champions in 2021 and have reached multiple ICC finals across formats.
India National Cricket Team vs New Zealand National Cricket Team Timeline
The rivalry between India and New Zealand spans more than seven decades. Below is a chronological timeline of the biggest events.
| Year | Event |
| 1955 | India and New Zealand played their first-ever Test series in India. |
| 1968 | New Zealand registered their first Test series win over India. |
| 1975 | First ODI meeting during the inaugural Cricket World Cup. |
| 1988 | India won an ODI series comfortably at home. |
| 1999 | Both teams met during the ICC Cricket World Cup. |
| 2000 | New Zealand defeated India to win the ICC Champions Trophy Final. |
| 2003 | India beat New Zealand in the Cricket World Cup Super Six stage. |
| 2009 | India won a historic Test series in New Zealand after 41 years. |
| 2014 | Brendon McCullum scored a triple century against India. |
| 2016 | India completed a 3-0 Test series whitewash at home. |
| 2019 | New Zealand defeated India in the ICC Cricket World Cup semifinal. |
| 2020 | New Zealand won the Test series 2-0 at home. |
| 2021 | New Zealand defeated India in the ICC World Test Championship Final. |
| 2022 | India won the T20I series in New Zealand. |
| 2023 | India defeated New Zealand in the ICC Cricket World Cup semifinal. |
| 2023 | India also won the ODI series at home. |
| 2024–2026 | The rivalry continues with ICC tournaments and bilateral series featuring highly competitive matches. |
India National Cricket Team vs New Zealand Head-to-Head Stats (All Formats)
The rivalry has remained balanced despite India’s overall advantage in total wins. New Zealand has enjoyed greater success in several ICC knockout matches.
| Format | Matches | India Won | New Zealand Won | Draw/Tie/NR |
| Tests | 65 | 22 | 16 | 27 Draws |
| ODIs | 120 | 62 | 50 | 1 Tie, 7 No Results |
| T20Is | 30 | 18 | 11 | 1 Tie |
| Overall | 215 | 102 | 77 | 36 |
India vs New Zealand Test Head-to-Head
Test cricket has witnessed several classic encounters between the two nations. India has dominated home conditions, while New Zealand has often proved difficult to beat on its fast and swinging pitches.
| Record | India | New Zealand |
| Matches | 65 | 65 |
| Wins | 22 | 16 |
| Draws | 27 | 27 |
| Home Series Wins | Multiple | Multiple |
| Largest Win (Runs) | 372 Runs | 299 Runs |
India vs New Zealand ODI Head-to-Head
ODIs have produced several memorable contests, including World Cup clashes and bilateral series.
| Record | India | New Zealand |
| Matches | 120 | |
| India Wins | 62 | |
| New Zealand Wins | 50 | |
| Tie | 1 | |
| No Result | 7 |
India vs New Zealand T20I Head-to-Head
India has enjoyed greater success in the shortest format, especially after 2020.
| Record | Value |
| Matches | 30 |
| India Wins | 18 |
| New Zealand Wins | 11 |
| Tie | 1 |
India vs New Zealand in ICC Tournaments
Both teams have met numerous times in ICC competitions. New Zealand has historically performed well in knockout matches, while India has won several league-stage encounters and the memorable 2023 World Cup semifinal.
| Tournament | Winner |
| 1975 World Cup | New Zealand |
| 1999 World Cup | New Zealand |
| 2000 ICC Champions Trophy Final | New Zealand |
| 2003 World Cup | India |
| 2019 World Cup Semifinal | New Zealand |
| 2021 World Test Championship Final | New Zealand |
| 2023 World Cup Semifinal | India |
Test Series History Between India and New Zealand
The Test rivalry has featured several memorable bilateral series over the decades.
| Year | Host | Winner |
| 1955–56 | India | India |
| 1968 | New Zealand | New Zealand |
| 1976 | New Zealand | Drawn |
| 1988 | India | India |
| 1995 | India | India |
| 1999 | New Zealand | Drawn |
| 2002 | New Zealand | New Zealand |
| 2009 | New Zealand | India |
| 2012 | India | Drawn |
| 2014 | New Zealand | New Zealand |
| 2016 | India | India |
| 2020 | New Zealand | New Zealand |
| 2021 | India | India |
| 2024 | India | Series Played |
ODI Series History Between India and New Zealand
India and New Zealand have contested numerous ODI bilateral series since the 1970s. India has won most home series, while New Zealand has been particularly competitive in home conditions.
| Year | Host | Winner | Result |
| 1976 | New Zealand | New Zealand | 2–0 |
| 1981 | India | India | 3–2 |
| 1988 | India | India | 4–0 |
| 1990 | New Zealand | New Zealand | 2–0 |
| 1995 | India | India | 3–2 |
| 1999 | New Zealand | New Zealand | 2–1 |
| 2003 | New Zealand | India | 5–2 |
| 2009 | New Zealand | India | 3–1 |
| 2014 | New Zealand | New Zealand | 4–0 |
| 2016 | India | India | 3–2 |
| 2019 | New Zealand | India | 4–1 |
| 2020 | New Zealand | New Zealand | 3–0 |
| 2022 | New Zealand | New Zealand | 1–0 |
| 2023 | India | India | 3–0 |
T20I Series History Between India and New Zealand
The T20 rivalry has become increasingly competitive since the inaugural T20 World Cup. India has dominated most bilateral T20I series in recent years.
| Year | Host | Winner | Result |
| 2007 | ICC World T20 | New Zealand | League Match |
| 2012 | India | New Zealand | 1–0 |
| 2016 | India | New Zealand | 2–1 |
| 2017 | India | India | 2–1 |
| 2019–20 | New Zealand | India | 5–0 |
| 2021 | India | India | 3–0 |
| 2022 | New Zealand | India | 1–0 |
| 2026 | India | India | 4–1 |
Highest Team Scores in India vs New Zealand Matches
Both teams have crossed the 350-run mark several times in ODIs and produced 500+ totals in Test cricket. These innings showcase the batting strength of both sides.
Highest Test Team Totals
| Team | Score | Venue | Year |
| India | 583/7d | Indore | 2016 |
| New Zealand | 680/8d | Wellington | 2014 |
| India | 566 | Kanpur | 1976 |
| New Zealand | 630 | Hamilton | 2002 |
Highest ODI Team Totals
| Team | Score | Venue | Year |
| India | 392/4 | Christchurch | 2009 |
| India | 385/9 | Indore | 2023 |
| New Zealand | 349/9 | Hamilton | 2019 |
| New Zealand | 337/8 | Indore | 2026 |
Highest T20I Team Totals
| Team | Score | Venue | Year |
| India | 271/5 | Thiruvananthapuram | 2026 |
| India | 238/7 | Ahmedabad | 2026 |
| New Zealand | 225 | Thiruvananthapuram | 2026 |
| New Zealand | 208/6 | Rajkot | 2026 |
Lowest Team Scores in India vs New Zealand
The fast bowlers from both sides have produced remarkable bowling performances, leading to several low-scoring matches.
Lowest Test Totals
| Team | Score |
| India | 46 |
| India | 81 |
| New Zealand | 62 |
| New Zealand | 79 |
Lowest ODI Totals
| Team | Score |
| India | 79 |
| India | 92 |
| New Zealand | 79 |
| New Zealand | 103 |
Lowest T20I Totals
| Team | Score |
| India | 79 |
| India | 88 |
| New Zealand | 60 |
| New Zealand | 99 |
Most Runs in India vs New Zealand Matches
Many legendary batters have enjoyed tremendous success in this rivalry. Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, and Rohit Sharma are among the leading run scorers.
| Player | Team | Matches | Runs | 100s | 50s |
| Sachin Tendulkar | India | 42 | 2,400+ | 6 | 15 |
| Virat Kohli | India | 35+ | 2,000+ | 8 | 10 |
| Ross Taylor | New Zealand | 40+ | 1,900+ | 7 | 10 |
| Kane Williamson | New Zealand | 35+ | 1,700+ | 5 | 11 |
| Rohit Sharma | India | 30+ | 1,500+ | 5 | 8 |
Most Wickets in India vs New Zealand Matches
Fast bowlers have dominated this rivalry over the years, although several spinners have also enjoyed considerable success.
| Player | Team | Wickets |
| Richard Hadlee | New Zealand | 100+ |
| Anil Kumble | India | 70+ |
| Tim Southee | New Zealand | 65+ |
| Ravichandran Ashwin | India | 60+ |
| Trent Boult | New Zealand | 55+ |
Best Individual Batting Records
| Record | Player | Score |
| Highest Test Score | Brendon McCullum | 302 |
| Highest ODI Score | Virender Sehwag | 146 |
| Highest T20I Score | Ishan Kishan | 103 |
Best Bowling Figures
| Format | Player | Figures |
| Test | Richard Hadlee | 10 wickets in a match |
| ODI | Javagal Srinath | 5/23 |
| T20I | Arshdeep Singh | 5 wickets |
Memorable India vs New Zealand Matches
- New Zealand won their first ICC trophy by beating India in the 2000 ICC Champions Trophy Final.
- 2009 Napier Test- India’s first Test series win in New Zealand for 41 years.
- 2019 ICC World Cup Semi-Final – Rain-dampened Trigger as India was knocked out by New Zealand
- 2021 ICC World Test Championship Final – New Zealand beat India to become the first-ever WTC champions.
- Round 070 – The moment India broke the New Zealand knockout curse in the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup Semifinal
- T20I Series- India won the five-match series 4-1 with a raucous batting display
Major Records in India vs New Zealand Cricket Rivalry
| Record | Player/Team |
| First Test Match | 1955 |
| First ODI | 1975 Cricket World Cup |
| First T20I | 2007 ICC World T20 |
| Highest Individual Test Score | Brendon McCullum – 302 |
| Highest ODI Score | Virender Sehwag – 146 |
| Highest T20I Score | Ishan Kishan – 103 |
| Best Test Bowling | Richard Hadlee |
| Most ICC Knockout Wins | New Zealand |
| Most Bilateral Series Wins | India |
| Biggest T20I Team Score | India – 271/5 |
| Highest Successful ODI Chase | India – 392-run chase |
FAQs about India National Cricket Team vs New Zealand National Cricket Team Timeline
Who has won more matches between India and New Zealand?
India has won more international matches than New Zealand across Tests, ODIs, and T20Is.
When did India and New Zealand first play against each other?
The two teams played their first Test match in 1955.
Who has scored the most runs in India vs New Zealand matches?
Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Ross Taylor, Kane Williamson, and Rohit Sharma rank among the leading run-scorers in this rivalry.
Which team has won more ICC knockout matches?
New Zealand has historically enjoyed greater success in ICC knockout games, although India has won several crucial recent encounters, including the 2023 ODI World Cup semifinal and the 2026 T20 World Cup Final.
What is India’s biggest win over New Zealand in T20Is?
India defeated New Zealand by 96 runs in the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Final.
Conclusion
The following content is important because of events in the history between India National Cricket Team vs New Zealand National Cricket Team Timeline – witness to over 70 years of cricketing brilliance at the international level. Since their 1st Test back in 1955 through to enthralling ICC finals and World Cup knockout clashes, each country has regularly brought out the best in one another. Although India boast a greater overall record in terms of bilateral cricket, New Zealand have consistently challenged India as one of the strongest outfits on the world stage. World-class players, devoted fans and competitive games at every level mean the India-New Zealand rivalry will be one of international cricket’s most enduring and respected rivalries.