The Kiwis have exposed that Team India, despite its top ranking, is yet to become a dominant Test nation.
Injuries to frontline fast bowlers have forced New Zealand to opt for fresh blood in their pace attack for the three-match ODI series against India starting February 5 in Hamilton. Kyle Jamieson could be in for a potential debut, while Scott Kuggeleijn and Hamish Bennett return to the squad after a long absence. Injury has meant the likes of Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson and Matt Henry are unavailable for the series.
After two months of mainly settled weather in New Zealand's capital, heavy rain began falling early on Friday and ending any hopes of the game beginning on time at 11 a.m. (2200 GMT).
New Zealand will host India for five Twenty20s, three ODIs and two Tests beginning in Auckland on January 24
Ross Taylor captained New Zealand a second time in the opening match of the tri-series against India at Dambulla. And the Black Caps thrashed their more fancied opponents by a whopping 200 runs.
Kane Williamson bowled just three overs during the second innings of the first Test which Sri Lanka won by six wickets.
Rahul Dravid's reign as head coach and Rohit Sharma's as T20I captain got off to a winning start as India defeated New Zealand by five wickets in a thrilling finish in Jaipur on Wednesday.
New Zealand Cricket and the BCCI put their heads together and made an exit plan for the Black Caps and Williamson was pretty satisfied with how it panned out.
Trent Boult's reaction said it all. The New Zealand fast bowler held his nerve on the final ball of the penultimate over, catching Carlos Brathwaite and ending a magnificent innings that almost handed the Black Caps a first defeat of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2019.
The day two of the second Test between Indian and New Zealand, which saw the loss of 16 wickets, has been dubbed as an 'action-packed' day by Trent Boult.
Cricket greats honoured Martin Crowe at an emotional funeral for New Zealand's greatest batsman, on Friday, with his cousin, Hollywood star Russell Crowe, acting as a pallbearer.
A selection of musings from around the cricket World Cup.
Two more failures in two home games could effectively mean end of the road for Ajinkya Rahane, who is leading India in the first Test in Kanpur, starting on Thursday.
Kane Williamson's sentiment was also echoed by one of his senior teammates Ross Taylor, who was also critical of the points system.
Images from the third T20 International between India and New Zealand, at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, on Sunday.
Images from the second T20 International between India and New Zealand, in Ranchi, on Friday.
The fiasco that concluded England's opening World Cup match could have been avoided if the officials had not let their minds wander from the blue zone to red, reckons The Guardian's Mike Selvey.
Latham, De Grandhomme lead NZ to series sweep of India
The decision to create a separate window for IPL has played a massive role in qualitative growth of New Zealand cricketers, believes former seamer and current national selector Gavin Larsen. Another practical reason of having an IPL window is fear of attrition, considering that the cricketing talent pool in a country like New Zealand would be limited with a population of barely 5 million.
Images from the T20 World Cup Super 12s match between New Zealand and Namibia, in Sharjah, in Friday.
India's bowlers highlighted the balance of their side as they set up an easy seven-wicket win over New Zealand in the second Twenty20 international at Eden Park in Auckland on Sunday to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. KL Rahul (57 not out) and Shreyas Iyer (44) then marshalled the run chase as they helped their side to reach 135-3 with 15 balls to spare, chasing New Zealand's 132-5.
It was unacceptable that 45 minutes of bad cricket resulted in India's shock exit from the World Cup, lamented captain Virat Kohli after his team suffered a heart-breaking semi-final defeat against New Zealand.
New Zealand on Saturday recalled Jacob Oram and Jesse Ryder for the two Twenty20 internationals against India next week, while also naming fast bowler Ewen Thompson in the 13-member squad. The first match is scheduled for February 25 at the AMI Park in Christchurch while the second will be played at Wellington on February 27.
Lockie Ferguson was placed in isolation immediately after Friday's first ODI against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground following complaints of a sore throat. He underwent tests on Saturday which returned negative, clearing the pacer.
His side's passage to the final was in large due to the work put in both in the field and at the crease, with few players reading conditions quite like the Kiwi skipper.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni might have forged a formidable coach-captain combination with Stephen Fleming for the CSK in the Indian Premier League but the India captain is on the verge of equalling an ignominous record in possession of the former Black Caps skipper - that of maximum number of away Test defeats while leading his country.
Trent Boult said he expects the green top at the Hagley Oval to be more conducive for his brand of swing bowling compared to the Basin Reserve track
Images from Day 2 of the first Test between India and New Zealand, in Kanpur, on Friday.
New Zealand pace bowler Kyle Jamieson enjoyed a dream start to his Test career on the opening day of the first match against India as he captured three wickets and also took a catch in the deep as the tourists limped to 122-5 after rain washed out the entire post-tea session. Ajinkya Rahane was on 38 at stumps at the Basin Reserve on Friday, while the recalled Rishabh Pant was 10 not out, with the 2.03m tall Jamieson tormenting batsmen with his ability to get the ball to rear off a length.
The squad for the two Tests against India is set to be named on February 17, with the opening match starting four days later in Wellington on February 21.
Three wins from three is a major confidence boost for New Zealand - but the next game against India is simply massive, says Daniel Vettori.
Half centuries from Colin de Grandhomme and B J Watling gave New Zealand a first-innings lead of 138 against Sri Lanka on the fourth day of the second and final Test in Colombo on Sunday.
Former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum is returning to Kolkata Knight Riders but this time in a coaching role after being signed by the IPL side as the assistant coach.
India won the twin T20 Internationals in Auckland by margins of six and seven wickets respectively to go 2-0 up in the five-match series.
Vettori heaped praise on pace bowlers Trent Boult and Matt Henry after they dismissed India's top three of KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma and skipper Virat Kohli for one run each.
Ashwin spoke about how WTC has provided a context to Test cricket and would love to see more traditional format games in neutral venues.
New Zealand pace spearhead Trent Boult has recovered from a broken hand to be included in the 13-player squad to face India in the two-Test series, as selectors swung the axe following the dismal tour of Australia. Left-armer Boult broke his right hand in the Boxing Day Test against Australia in December but is fit for the first Test against India starting at the Basin Reserve in Wellington on Friday.
Bumrah returned wicket-less giving away 167 runs in the 30 overs he bowled.
While the NZC will be updating its players about the health safety protocols and latest COVID-19 related developments, the onus will be on the six individuals to do due diligence.
New Zealand Cricket has defended the under-fire national team's head coach Gary Stead, who is drawing flak for taking a break in the middle of the ongoing home series against India, saying his "week off was planned six months ago".
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