Flashback: When India last hosted New Zealand for Test in Bengaluru

India will clash with New Zealand in the first Test at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru from October 16. Both the teams last played a Test match at this venue in 2012. The visitors played the second Test of the two-match Test series in Bengaluru when the visitors succumbed to five-wicket loss. With that win, India went on to clinch the series 2-0. 

India entered the second Test after a comprehensive win in the first one at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. The hosts were in marauding form as they beat the Kiwis by an innngs and 115 runs. The teams will tussle at the same venue in the longest format after a hiatus of 12 years.

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It is worth noting that India and New Zealand have played 62 games up until now. While India have managed to win 22, New Zealand have 13 games to their name with 27 concluding in a draw. There are only two players from the last Bengaluru Test who will be playing in the current Indian team - Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin.

Speaking of the Bengaluru Test in 2012, on the back of Ross Taylor’s 113 and Kruger van Wyk’s 71, New Zealand posted 365 in the first innings after winning the toss. India, with the help of Virat Kohli’s 103 and half-centuries from MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina, managed 353 in response. But it was five-wicket haul from Ashwin that helped the Indians to contain the Kiwis for 248 in the second innings and were provided a target of 261. 

After crucial contributions from the top order, Kohli and Dhoni remained unbeaten on 51 and 48 respectively, India chased down the target with five wickets remaining and Kohli was named the Player of the Match while R Ashwin was adjudged as the Player of the Series.