The India National Cricket Team vs New Zealand National Cricket Team timeline displays one of the game’s fiercest rivalries. Starting with those classic Test matches in the 50s, through unforgettable World Cup knockouts and its most intense T20I battles, this contest has never failed to bring drama, skill and unpredictability.
In formats and through generations, India and New Zealand have played matches that have defined careers, eras and produced iconic cricketing moments. This is the story of their full rivalry timeline, essential statistics, memorable performances and moments that defined this clash.
New Zealand tour of India 2025/26 – Fixtures & Results
ODI Series
| Date | Match | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, 11 Jan 2026 | 1st ODI | Vadodara | India won by 4 wickets (6 balls remaining) |
| Wed, 14 Jan 2026 | 2nd ODI | Rajkot | New Zealand won by 7 wickets (15 balls remaining) |
| Sun, 18 Jan 2026 | 3rd ODI | Indore | New Zealand won by 41 runs |
T20I Series
| Date | Match | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wed, 21 Jan 2026 | 1st T20I | Nagpur | India won by 48 runs |
| Fri, 23 Jan 2026 | 2nd T20I | Raipur | India won by 7 wickets (28 balls remaining) |
| Sun, 25 Jan 2026 | 3rd T20I | Guwahati | India won by 8 wickets (60 balls remaining) |
| Wed, 28 Jan 2026 | 4th T20I | Visakhapatnam | New Zealand won by 50 runs |
| Sat, 31 Jan 2026 | 5th T20I | Thiruvananthapuram | – |
Historical Overview of India vs New Zealand Rivalry
History The cricket rivalry between New Zealand and India dates back to the mid 20th century at a time when both nations were relatively unknown on international stage. It was initially modest in feeling, but eventually grew to be a contest that had Test matches close, ODIs exciting and T20s thrilling.
India has generally been the deeper team with more consistency in their performance, while New Zealand have consistently shown to be a dangerous customer again and again – particularly when it comes under pressure or during ICC events.
Complete Historical Timeline
| Year | Format | Event / Series | Key Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | Test | First Test Match (Hyderabad) | First-ever meeting between India and New Zealand; rivalry begins |
| 1968 | Test | India Tour of New Zealand | India records its first overseas Test series win |
| 1975 | ODI | Cricket World Cup | First ODI clash between the two teams |
| 1989 | Test/ODI | New Zealand Tour of India | Richard Hadlee delivers match-winning performances |
| 1994 | Test | New Zealand Tour of India | Martin Crowe dominates with consistent batting |
| 2003 | ODI | ICC Cricket World Cup | India defeats New Zealand convincingly |
| 2007 | T20I | First T20 International | Beginning of T20 rivalry |
| 2009 | Test | India vs New Zealand (India) | India posts 524/9 – highest Test total vs NZ |
| 2014 | ODI | India Tour of New Zealand | Closely contested bilateral ODI series |
| 2019 | ODI | ICC World Cup Semifinal | New Zealand defeats India in a dramatic knockout |
| 2020 | Test | New Zealand vs India | NZ scores 680/8 – highest team total vs India |
| 2020 | T20I | India Tour of New Zealand | India wins T20I series convincingly |
| 2021 | Test | ICC World Test Championship Final | New Zealand defeats India to win WTC title |
| 2023 | ODI | Bilateral Series | High-scoring modern ODI encounters |
| 2024 | T20I/Test | Ongoing Rivalry | Competitive series across formats |
| 2025 | Test | New Zealand Tour of India | New Zealand won series 3-0 |
First Encounter: Where It All Began
The beginning of India National Cricket Team vs New Zealand National Cricket Team timeline dates back to the year 1955, when these two teams took on each other in a Test game at Hyderabad. It was also the start of a classic rivalry that would only get stronger over the decades.
The early encounters between the countries were typically low-scoring and drawn, but they laid the foundations for a rivalry that would only grow.
Key Milestones in the Rivalry
Historic Test Matches
Test cricket has served as the cornerstone of this rivalry. One of the pivotal events was India’s 1968 Test series victory against New Zealand in New Zealand. That was India’s first series win outside the country, and was a major turning point in Indian Test cricket.
In recent times, the condition-based nature of Test matches between these two sides – swing-friendly pitches in New Zealand and spin-dominant tracks in India – has contributed to their match results.
Memorable One-Day Internationals (ODIs)
India and New Zealand played their first ODI in 1975 at the World Cup. The format has since delivered some genuinely nail-biting contests.
And the most memorable ODI contest still is of course that 2019 World Cup semifinal game, where New Zealand pipped India and shattered their dreams in a pressure situation with cool batting and disciplined bowling, dumping them out of the World Cup.
Thrilling T20I Clashes
The T20Is brought a new twist to this rivalry. Their first T20 International was in 2007 and New Zealand had the early advantage. But, in the last few years, India has held sway in the shorter version with better depth and attacking batting.
India vs New Zealand Head to Head Records
| Format | Matches | India Wins | New Zealand Wins | Draw/NR/Tie |
| Tests | 65 | 22 | 16 | 27 Draws |
| ODIs | 120 | 62 | 50 | 8 NR/Ties |
| T20Is | 29 | 17 | 11 | 1 Tie |
Significant Series Wins
India’s Iconic Victories
India’s emergence as a global cricket power is underscored by these key successes over New Zealand. The Test series win overseas in 1968 still stands out as historic, but consistent domination on home soil and good form in limited-overs cricket have made another dent: the Indian scale is tipped in India’s favour overall.
India’s overall performances during the World Test Championship final cycle (2020) also proved their ability to perform consistently against strong opponents such as New Zealand.
New Zealand’s Famous Triumphs
New Zealand’s biggest victories over India have generally been on big stages. Their 2019 World Cup semifinal victory will always be remembered as a remarkable upset in modern cricket. And there was New Zealand’s cool, collected dismantling of India in the 2021 World Test Championship final, a victory that only burnished its reputation as big-match specialists.
Memorable Moments in the Rivalry
World Cup Showdowns
India vs New Zealand in ICC tournaments are always tense and full of drama 2019 semifinal, New Zealand: The most iconic of matches revealed the cleverness of the Kiwi team and their mental stamina under pressure.
Test Series Turning Points
India’s 1968 New Zealand tour is the one that defined Indian cricket overseas and is till today one of the most cherished events from their head-to-head history.
Top Performers in India vs New Zealand Matches
India’s Leading Players
- Sachin Tendulkar: 2000+ international runs against New Zealand across formats
- Virat Kohli: Big centuries & consistent performances in winning causes
- Anil Kumble: Highest wicket-taker for India in Tests vs New Zealand
New Zealand’s Star Performers
- Richard Hadlee: All-round and match-winning star-shaped performances.
- Kane Williamson: New Zealand’s Mr Dependable For India In Tests
- Martin Crowe: The batting maestro who ruled India in the 1980s and 1990s
Captains Who Shaped the Rivalry
captaincy has many a times made a telling difference between the two sides. From Sunil Gavaskar and MS Dhoni in wriggling India out of tough situations to Stephen Fleming and Kane Williamson managing New Zealand calmly, leadership has played a huge part in deciding matches through the ages.
Records and Major Achievements
Highest Team Totals
- India: 524/9 (Test, 2009)
- New Zealand: 680/8 (Test, 2020)
Best Bowling Performance
- Anil Kumble: 10/74 vs New Zealand (Tests)
- Richard Hadlee: Multiple 10-wicket match hauls against India
Top Run Scorers
- India: Sachin Tendulkar
- New Zealand: Kane Williamson
Conclusion
The timeline of the India National Cricket Team vs New Zealand National Cricket Team, it is rich with iconic moments, amazing matches and memorable performances. Although it is India that lead in numbers, Newzealand’s knack for uplifting themselves at critical moments makes this battle hectic and unpredictable.
And with upcoming series’ and ICC events fans can look forward to more of this classic cricketing duel that keeps on producing moments for generations to come.
