Over the years India and New Zealand have locked horns in 98 one-day internationals with both teams enjoying a fair share of the spoils. India have registered 49 wins over the years, which is just 6 more than what the New Zealanders have (43) recorded. India's record at home against the Kiwis though is as good as it gets, having won 23 matches and lost only 7 to the visitors.
New Zealand in fact have never won a bilateral series in India in the past five attempts and captain Kane Williamson has already tasted a close defeat in the series lat year. The sixth bilateral ODI series between the two teams on Indian soil begins on Sunday. Here's a look back at what has happened in the past.
New Zealand in India, 1988: India won 4-0
New Zealand first visited India for a bilateral series in December 1988, under the leadership of left-handed opening batsman John Wright. The first match of the series was played at Vizag and Indian captain Dilip Vengsarkar chose to field first on winning the toss. A 114-run second wicket stand between Andrew Jones (66) and Ken Rutherford (67) was the only delight for the visitors as Kris Srikkanth ran through the middle order with his part-time spin, ending with figures of 5/27 as New Zealand ended on 196/9. Srikkanth's all-round show was complete as he scored 70 at the top of the order to guide the hosts to a four wicket win.
The second match at Cuttack was reduced to 45-overs-a-side and the Kiwis were again restricted to a below par 160/7, thanks to some disciplined bowling by the Indians. Navjot Singh Sidhu's knock of 67 allowed India to chase the total down with 21 balls to spare.
India batted first in the third ODI at the Nehru Stadium in Indore and put up a challenging 222/6 in 45 overs. Opener VB Chandrasekhar led the way with a knock of 53, but the real impetus came down the order with Ajay Sharma hitting three big sixes to score 52 off just 47 deliveries. John Wright (46) and Mark Greatbatch (64) were the only two batsmen to get some runs under their belt as Kris Srikkanth picked up his second 5-wicket haul of the series to give Indian an unassailable lead.
Mohammed Azharuddin plays a shot during his 62-ball century against New Zealand (Getty Images)
The jamboree travelled to Vadodara next where the Kiwis finally got some runs under their belt. John Wright's 96-ball knock of 70 and Greatbatch's whirlwind 84 off just 67 deliveries took the visitors to an imposing total of 278 runs. India were in trouble as they lost early wickets but Sanjay Manjrekar's 52 brought them back in the game. But the real stunner came from Mohammed Azharuddin, who scored India's then fastest ODI century off just 62 deliveries to power the hosts to a two-wicket win. Ajay Sharma too was involved with a 36-ball knock of 50 runs.
The last match of the series in Jammu was abandoned.
New Zealand in India, 1995: India won 3-2
By the time New Zealand, under the captaincy of newcomer Lee Germon, returned to Indian shores for their next bilateral series, the way ODI cricket was being approached by teams had changed completely. The first match at Jamshedpur saw India being bowled out for 236, opener Manoj Prabhakar top scored with a knock of 83 runs. The Kiwis lost their openers early but a classy unbeaten century (107*) by former captain Martin Crowe along with good support from the young Stephen Fleming (78*) meant New Zealand won easily by 8 wickets.
The hosts roared back into the series at Amritsar with Manoj Prabhakar taking a 5-wicket haul to bowl the Kiwis out for 145, a target that was chased down in the 44th over with Manjrekar (44*) and Ajay Jadeja (26*) taking India home.
Manoj Prabhakar picked up a five-wicket haul against New Zealand in the second ODI (Getty Images)
The third ODI at Margao was abandoned and it was India, who took the lead in the series with a 5-wicket win at Pune. The Kiwis scored 235/6 while batting first, thanks to a century by Chris Cairns lower down the order. Cairns took the attack to the Indians and hit 10 boundaries and 4 sixes in his innings. But healthy contributions from the Indian middle-order, with captain Azharuddin top scoring with an innings of 58 meant the hosts coasted home.
The Kiwis took the series to the decider by winning the 5th ODI at Nagpur by 99 runs. Young opener Nathan Astle gave glimpses of what to expect in a successful international career as he scored 114 at the top of the order. Crowe (63) and Fleming (60) chipped in to take the Kiwis to a mammoth 348/8 in 50 overs, a total unheard of in those days. India tried to put up a fight with Tendulkar (65) and Jadeja (61) scoring belligerent half-centuries, but they fell way short of the target.
The decider at Mumbai was reduced to 35-overs a side and the Indians bowled New Zealand out for 126, with Anil Kumble picking up three wickets. Vinod Kambli top-scored for India with a knock of 48, as the hosts chased the target down with three overs to spare and with 6 wickets in hand.
New Zealand in India, 1999: India won 3-2
Stephen Fleming's New Zealand started the five-match series against India in the best possible manner. The Kiwis batted first on a flat Rajkot track and piled on a mammoth 349/9. Nathan Astle laid the foundation with a knock of 120 at the top of the order, also sharing two back to back century stands with Craig Spearman (68) and Roger Twose (56). India tried hard, but it was always going to be an uphill task. Ajay Jadeja's knock of 95 went in vain as India were bowled out for 306.
The second match in Hyderabad was another high scoring affair, but it was the turn of the hosts to send the opposition fielders on a leather hunt. Indian captain Sachin Tendulkar (186) brought up the then highest individual score in an innings by an Indian with some ruthless power hitting, while Rahul Dravid (153) played the perfect second fiddle and hit some classy boundaries. The duo put on 331 runs for the second wicket, which continued to be the highest partnership for any wicket in ODI cricket, until Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels broke the record during the 2015 ICC World Cup. The duo's magical partnership helped India score 376/2 in their 50 overs. The Kiwis lost by a huge margin of 174 runs, after being bowled out for just 202.
Sachin Tendulkarand Rahul Dravid shared a 331-run partnership, which is the second highest for any wicket in ODI cricket (AFP Photo)
India took a 2-1 lead in the series with a narrow win at Gwalior in what was an exciting contest. Sourav Ganguly's knock of 153, with the help of 18 boundaries and three sixes, took India to a total of 261/5. Nathan Astle returned the favour with a measured knock of 97, that kept the Kiwis breathing. Chris Harris (22*) and a young Scott Styris (25) tried their best to take the Kiwis home but India managed to strike important blows to finally clinch a thriller.
Chris Cairns' knock of 80 took the Kiwis to 236 at Guwahati but with the Indian batsmen in form, it looked like the hosts would wrap the series in the fourth match itself. But some inspired bowling by the Kiwis meant India were bowled out for 188 and the series was taken to the decider.
A two-paced pitch at the Ferozeshah Kotla in Delhi greeted the visitors in the last match of the series. Young pacer Thiru Kumaran picked up three wickets as the the visitors managed to score a below par 179/9 in their 50 overs. Sourav Ganguly's golden run with the bat continued as he scored 86 at the top of the order to help India win the match and the series.
New Zealand in India, 2010: India won 5-0
This was a series that saw several Indian heavyweights getting rested, keeping the tour to South Africa in mind, and that had somewhat balanced the equation between the two teams. But the young Indian side led by Gautam Gambhir was to hand New Zealand their biggest defeat on Indian soil.
The first ODI played at Guwahati saw, then 22-year old, Virat Kohli showcase early glimpses of his greatness as he scored a fine century (105) to help India post a challenging total of 276 runs. Three Indian bowlers picked three wickets each as the Kiwis, led by captain Ross Taylor's 66, fell short by 40 runs.
Gautam Gambhir led from the front with two centuries in the series while a young Virat Kohli impressed with his consistency (AFP Photo)
Martin Guptill's sedate knock of 70 at the top of the order and Styris' strokeful innings of 59 helped the Kiwis battle their way to 258/8 at the Sawai Mansingh stadium in Jaipur in the second match of the series. Sreesanth was India's best bowler as he picked up four wickets. Stand-in-captain Gautam Gambhir led from the front with a quality unbeaten innings of 138, hitting 18 boundaries as he took India home. Virat Kohli shone bright again with a knock of 64.
The teams travelled to Vadodara for the third ODI and the Kiwi batsmen struggled yet again. James Franklin's unbeaten 72 helped the visitors score 224/9 in their 50 overs. With absolutely no scoreboard pressure, Gambhir helped himself to yet another century, scoring an unbeaten 126 with the help of 16 boundaries this time. Kohli played the second fiddle to perfection again, staying unbeaten on 63. With this win India sealed the series as well.
The Kiwis were left to play for their pride and it showed in their approach in the fourth match of the series at Bengaluru. A small boundary and a flat deck allowed most of the top and middle order batsmen to get starts. But the real fillip came from the willow of James Franklin as he hit three sixes and 12 boundaries to stay unbeaten on 98 off just 69 deliveries. New Zealand posted 315/7 in their allotted quota of overs. Parthiv Patel's 53 at the top of the order set the pace early on but it was Yusuf Pathan's power-hitting that ensured India's winning run would continue. The big-hitting all-rounder produced a blitzkrieg, scoring an unbeaten 123 off just 96 deliveries with the help of 7 massive sixes and 7 boundaries to take India home with seven balls to spare.
New Zealand's horror tour would come to an end in Chennai with a batting collapse that saw them being bowled out for just 103 runs. Parthiv Patel (56*) and Yuvraj Singh (42*) took India home with ease as the hosts completed a 5-0 whitewash.
New Zealand in India, 2016: India won 3-2
A lot was expected from Kane Williamson's young side when they visited India in 2016 for a five-match series. The series would turn out to be a landmark one for India later as this was the last time Mahendra Singh Dhoni led India in coloured clothing. India had lost their last three major bilateral series under Dhoni's leadership and the pressure was on the great leader to turn the tide.
The opener was played at the picturesque Dharamsala stadium and Kiwi youngster Tom Latham carried his bat through the innings with an unbeaten 79. Hardik Pandya, making his ODI debut, picked up three wickets and so did the wily Amit Mishra as the Kiwis were bowled out for 190. Indian batting talisman Virat Kohli's unbeaten 85 was the cornerstone of an easy Indian chase, the hosts winning by 6 wickets.
The next match was played on a difficult track at Delhi's Ferozeshah Kotla and it was due to the brilliance of skipper Kane Williamson that New Zealand managed to put 242 runs on the board. Williamson showcased his class against the spinning ball as he scored 118 off 128 deliveries to power the Kiwis to a challenging total. Several Indian batsmen got starts but no one played the big hand. Hardik Pandya took India close but the visitors managed to clinch the thriller by 6 runs.
Dhoni chose to field first at Mohali and that seemed to backfire as the Kiwi top order got among the runs. Tom Latham (61) and Jimmy Neesham (57) guided the Black Caps to a strong total of 285 runs. India needed a good start but they lost both their openers early. This brought Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni to the middle and duo took the New Zealand bowling apart in a way only they can. Kohli produced yet another ODI masterclass in a chase as he stroked his way to an unbeaten 154 to take India home. MS Dhoni showed why he was still the best wicket-keeper batsman in India with a knock of 80 runs.
Virat Kohli holds the record for most centuries in successful chases in ODI cricket
India were expected to seal the deal at Dhoni's hometown Ranchi, as despite a knock of 72 by opener Martin Guptill, the Kiwis could only manage a total of 260 runs on the board. Ajinkya Rahane (57) and Virat Kohli (45) put India in a good position but the slump started after their departure and the Kiwis won the match by 19 runs to take the series to the decider.
The teams travelled to Vizag for the decider and the Indian fans feared for yet another ODI series loss at home. India batted first and despite impressive contributions from Rohit Sharma (70), Virat Kohli (65) and MS Dhoni (41), the hosts managed to score 269/6, a fairly gettable score in ODIs. But the Kiwis were in for a shock as leg-spinner Amit Mishra used all his experience and guile to outfox the visitors. Mishra's masterclass produced 5 wickets as the Kiwis were bowled out for 79 in a massive anti-climax.
New Zealand in fact have never won a bilateral series in India in the past five attempts and captain Kane Williamson has already tasted a close defeat in the series lat year. The sixth bilateral ODI series between the two teams on Indian soil begins on Sunday. Here's a look back at what has happened in the past.
New Zealand in India, 1988: India won 4-0
New Zealand first visited India for a bilateral series in December 1988, under the leadership of left-handed opening batsman John Wright. The first match of the series was played at Vizag and Indian captain Dilip Vengsarkar chose to field first on winning the toss. A 114-run second wicket stand between Andrew Jones (66) and Ken Rutherford (67) was the only delight for the visitors as Kris Srikkanth ran through the middle order with his part-time spin, ending with figures of 5/27 as New Zealand ended on 196/9. Srikkanth's all-round show was complete as he scored 70 at the top of the order to guide the hosts to a four wicket win.
The second match at Cuttack was reduced to 45-overs-a-side and the Kiwis were again restricted to a below par 160/7, thanks to some disciplined bowling by the Indians. Navjot Singh Sidhu's knock of 67 allowed India to chase the total down with 21 balls to spare.
India batted first in the third ODI at the Nehru Stadium in Indore and put up a challenging 222/6 in 45 overs. Opener VB Chandrasekhar led the way with a knock of 53, but the real impetus came down the order with Ajay Sharma hitting three big sixes to score 52 off just 47 deliveries. John Wright (46) and Mark Greatbatch (64) were the only two batsmen to get some runs under their belt as Kris Srikkanth picked up his second 5-wicket haul of the series to give Indian an unassailable lead.
Mohammed Azharuddin plays a shot during his 62-ball century against New Zealand (Getty Images)
The jamboree travelled to Vadodara next where the Kiwis finally got some runs under their belt. John Wright's 96-ball knock of 70 and Greatbatch's whirlwind 84 off just 67 deliveries took the visitors to an imposing total of 278 runs. India were in trouble as they lost early wickets but Sanjay Manjrekar's 52 brought them back in the game. But the real stunner came from Mohammed Azharuddin, who scored India's then fastest ODI century off just 62 deliveries to power the hosts to a two-wicket win. Ajay Sharma too was involved with a 36-ball knock of 50 runs.
The last match of the series in Jammu was abandoned.
New Zealand in India, 1995: India won 3-2
By the time New Zealand, under the captaincy of newcomer Lee Germon, returned to Indian shores for their next bilateral series, the way ODI cricket was being approached by teams had changed completely. The first match at Jamshedpur saw India being bowled out for 236, opener Manoj Prabhakar top scored with a knock of 83 runs. The Kiwis lost their openers early but a classy unbeaten century (107*) by former captain Martin Crowe along with good support from the young Stephen Fleming (78*) meant New Zealand won easily by 8 wickets.
The hosts roared back into the series at Amritsar with Manoj Prabhakar taking a 5-wicket haul to bowl the Kiwis out for 145, a target that was chased down in the 44th over with Manjrekar (44*) and Ajay Jadeja (26*) taking India home.
Manoj Prabhakar picked up a five-wicket haul against New Zealand in the second ODI (Getty Images)
The third ODI at Margao was abandoned and it was India, who took the lead in the series with a 5-wicket win at Pune. The Kiwis scored 235/6 while batting first, thanks to a century by Chris Cairns lower down the order. Cairns took the attack to the Indians and hit 10 boundaries and 4 sixes in his innings. But healthy contributions from the Indian middle-order, with captain Azharuddin top scoring with an innings of 58 meant the hosts coasted home.
The Kiwis took the series to the decider by winning the 5th ODI at Nagpur by 99 runs. Young opener Nathan Astle gave glimpses of what to expect in a successful international career as he scored 114 at the top of the order. Crowe (63) and Fleming (60) chipped in to take the Kiwis to a mammoth 348/8 in 50 overs, a total unheard of in those days. India tried to put up a fight with Tendulkar (65) and Jadeja (61) scoring belligerent half-centuries, but they fell way short of the target.
The decider at Mumbai was reduced to 35-overs a side and the Indians bowled New Zealand out for 126, with Anil Kumble picking up three wickets. Vinod Kambli top-scored for India with a knock of 48, as the hosts chased the target down with three overs to spare and with 6 wickets in hand.
New Zealand in India, 1999: India won 3-2
Stephen Fleming's New Zealand started the five-match series against India in the best possible manner. The Kiwis batted first on a flat Rajkot track and piled on a mammoth 349/9. Nathan Astle laid the foundation with a knock of 120 at the top of the order, also sharing two back to back century stands with Craig Spearman (68) and Roger Twose (56). India tried hard, but it was always going to be an uphill task. Ajay Jadeja's knock of 95 went in vain as India were bowled out for 306.
The second match in Hyderabad was another high scoring affair, but it was the turn of the hosts to send the opposition fielders on a leather hunt. Indian captain Sachin Tendulkar (186) brought up the then highest individual score in an innings by an Indian with some ruthless power hitting, while Rahul Dravid (153) played the perfect second fiddle and hit some classy boundaries. The duo put on 331 runs for the second wicket, which continued to be the highest partnership for any wicket in ODI cricket, until Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels broke the record during the 2015 ICC World Cup. The duo's magical partnership helped India score 376/2 in their 50 overs. The Kiwis lost by a huge margin of 174 runs, after being bowled out for just 202.
Sachin Tendulkarand Rahul Dravid shared a 331-run partnership, which is the second highest for any wicket in ODI cricket (AFP Photo)
India took a 2-1 lead in the series with a narrow win at Gwalior in what was an exciting contest. Sourav Ganguly's knock of 153, with the help of 18 boundaries and three sixes, took India to a total of 261/5. Nathan Astle returned the favour with a measured knock of 97, that kept the Kiwis breathing. Chris Harris (22*) and a young Scott Styris (25) tried their best to take the Kiwis home but India managed to strike important blows to finally clinch a thriller.
Chris Cairns' knock of 80 took the Kiwis to 236 at Guwahati but with the Indian batsmen in form, it looked like the hosts would wrap the series in the fourth match itself. But some inspired bowling by the Kiwis meant India were bowled out for 188 and the series was taken to the decider.
A two-paced pitch at the Ferozeshah Kotla in Delhi greeted the visitors in the last match of the series. Young pacer Thiru Kumaran picked up three wickets as the the visitors managed to score a below par 179/9 in their 50 overs. Sourav Ganguly's golden run with the bat continued as he scored 86 at the top of the order to help India win the match and the series.
New Zealand in India, 2010: India won 5-0
This was a series that saw several Indian heavyweights getting rested, keeping the tour to South Africa in mind, and that had somewhat balanced the equation between the two teams. But the young Indian side led by Gautam Gambhir was to hand New Zealand their biggest defeat on Indian soil.
The first ODI played at Guwahati saw, then 22-year old, Virat Kohli showcase early glimpses of his greatness as he scored a fine century (105) to help India post a challenging total of 276 runs. Three Indian bowlers picked three wickets each as the Kiwis, led by captain Ross Taylor's 66, fell short by 40 runs.
Gautam Gambhir led from the front with two centuries in the series while a young Virat Kohli impressed with his consistency (AFP Photo)
Martin Guptill's sedate knock of 70 at the top of the order and Styris' strokeful innings of 59 helped the Kiwis battle their way to 258/8 at the Sawai Mansingh stadium in Jaipur in the second match of the series. Sreesanth was India's best bowler as he picked up four wickets. Stand-in-captain Gautam Gambhir led from the front with a quality unbeaten innings of 138, hitting 18 boundaries as he took India home. Virat Kohli shone bright again with a knock of 64.
The teams travelled to Vadodara for the third ODI and the Kiwi batsmen struggled yet again. James Franklin's unbeaten 72 helped the visitors score 224/9 in their 50 overs. With absolutely no scoreboard pressure, Gambhir helped himself to yet another century, scoring an unbeaten 126 with the help of 16 boundaries this time. Kohli played the second fiddle to perfection again, staying unbeaten on 63. With this win India sealed the series as well.
The Kiwis were left to play for their pride and it showed in their approach in the fourth match of the series at Bengaluru. A small boundary and a flat deck allowed most of the top and middle order batsmen to get starts. But the real fillip came from the willow of James Franklin as he hit three sixes and 12 boundaries to stay unbeaten on 98 off just 69 deliveries. New Zealand posted 315/7 in their allotted quota of overs. Parthiv Patel's 53 at the top of the order set the pace early on but it was Yusuf Pathan's power-hitting that ensured India's winning run would continue. The big-hitting all-rounder produced a blitzkrieg, scoring an unbeaten 123 off just 96 deliveries with the help of 7 massive sixes and 7 boundaries to take India home with seven balls to spare.
New Zealand's horror tour would come to an end in Chennai with a batting collapse that saw them being bowled out for just 103 runs. Parthiv Patel (56*) and Yuvraj Singh (42*) took India home with ease as the hosts completed a 5-0 whitewash.
New Zealand in India, 2016: India won 3-2
A lot was expected from Kane Williamson's young side when they visited India in 2016 for a five-match series. The series would turn out to be a landmark one for India later as this was the last time Mahendra Singh Dhoni led India in coloured clothing. India had lost their last three major bilateral series under Dhoni's leadership and the pressure was on the great leader to turn the tide.
The opener was played at the picturesque Dharamsala stadium and Kiwi youngster Tom Latham carried his bat through the innings with an unbeaten 79. Hardik Pandya, making his ODI debut, picked up three wickets and so did the wily Amit Mishra as the Kiwis were bowled out for 190. Indian batting talisman Virat Kohli's unbeaten 85 was the cornerstone of an easy Indian chase, the hosts winning by 6 wickets.
The next match was played on a difficult track at Delhi's Ferozeshah Kotla and it was due to the brilliance of skipper Kane Williamson that New Zealand managed to put 242 runs on the board. Williamson showcased his class against the spinning ball as he scored 118 off 128 deliveries to power the Kiwis to a challenging total. Several Indian batsmen got starts but no one played the big hand. Hardik Pandya took India close but the visitors managed to clinch the thriller by 6 runs.
Dhoni chose to field first at Mohali and that seemed to backfire as the Kiwi top order got among the runs. Tom Latham (61) and Jimmy Neesham (57) guided the Black Caps to a strong total of 285 runs. India needed a good start but they lost both their openers early. This brought Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni to the middle and duo took the New Zealand bowling apart in a way only they can. Kohli produced yet another ODI masterclass in a chase as he stroked his way to an unbeaten 154 to take India home. MS Dhoni showed why he was still the best wicket-keeper batsman in India with a knock of 80 runs.
Virat Kohli holds the record for most centuries in successful chases in ODI cricket
India were expected to seal the deal at Dhoni's hometown Ranchi, as despite a knock of 72 by opener Martin Guptill, the Kiwis could only manage a total of 260 runs on the board. Ajinkya Rahane (57) and Virat Kohli (45) put India in a good position but the slump started after their departure and the Kiwis won the match by 19 runs to take the series to the decider.
The teams travelled to Vizag for the decider and the Indian fans feared for yet another ODI series loss at home. India batted first and despite impressive contributions from Rohit Sharma (70), Virat Kohli (65) and MS Dhoni (41), the hosts managed to score 269/6, a fairly gettable score in ODIs. But the Kiwis were in for a shock as leg-spinner Amit Mishra used all his experience and guile to outfox the visitors. Mishra's masterclass produced 5 wickets as the Kiwis were bowled out for 79 in a massive anti-climax.