Tom Latham struck his maiden Test century but New Zealand crumbled to 262 all out, conceding a 304-run first-innings lead as well as control of the first Test to Pakistan in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
Opener Colin Munro hammered an unbeaten 109 before the Kiwi bowlers straitjacketed the Indian batsmen as New Zealand outplayed the hosts by 40 runs in the second Twenty20 to level the three-match series, in Rajkot on Saturday.
Ashish Nehra running into bowl one last time at a place where it all began will form the sub plot as India aim to better their abysmal T20 record against New Zealand in the three-match series starting in New Delhi, on Wednesday.
A tenth-wicket stand of 127 between BJ Watling (103) and Trent Boult (52 not out) helped New Zealand to a first innings total of 469 on the second day of the opening match in a two-Test series against Bangladesh on Thursday.
Batting first, Board President's XI made 295 for 9 in 50 overs and then bowled out the tourists for 265 in 47.4 overs.
Having notched three straight victories after a string of losses, Mumbai Indians are looking to defeat Rajasthan Royals and inch closer to a play-offs berth when the two sides face each other in an Indian Premier League encounter in Mumbai on Sunday.
Middle-order batsmen Corey Anderson and Anton Devcich staged a spirited fightback after early jitters as New Zealand 'A' ended the first day's play against India 'A' on 300 for eight, in the second and final four-day 'Test' in Hyderabad on Monday.
India dished out a dominating performance to crush New Zealand by 90 runs as spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal yet again tormented the home batsmen.
Opener Murali Vijay on Thursday admitted that Indian batsmen were guilty of playing loose shots to let go the advantage in the first Test against New Zealand in Kanpur but asserted that the hosts have put up a good total to make a game out of it. India were in a strong position at 154 for 1 at one stage before a middle-order collapse saw them reduce to 291 for 9 at stumps on the opening day. Vijay top-scored for the hosts with a 65 but himself played a poor shot, a cut off a not-so-short ball off leg-break bowler Ish Sodhi and was caught behind.
Captain Ravichandran Ashwin's superb all-round showing helped Kings XI Punjab outclass Rajasthan Royals by 12 runs, in the IPL match, in Mohali on Tuesda
Back-up opener Luke Ronchi made his case for selection in the first Test with a cracking century as New Zealand's only warm-up match of the India tour ended in a draw against Mumbai at the Feroze Shah Kotla in New Delhi on Sunday. Ronchi's racy 107-run knock was the highlight of the New Zealand second innings which ended at 235 all out in 66.4 overs on the third and final day, providing the visiting side more batting practice ahead of the first Test beginning in Kanpur on September 22.
Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan picked all three New Zealand wickets to fall as the visitors put up 107 for three before rain returned to halt play on Day 2 of the second and final Test on Tuesday.
The Knight Riders have outplayed Rajasthan both in the home and away games this season.
IMAGES from the IPL match played between Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab on Tuesday
India are poised for their third T20 International series triumph in five years but would be wary of a strong fightback from the usually plucky New Zealand when the two sides clash in the second game of the three-match series in Rajkot.
New Zealand secured their third straight win to book a spot in the semi-finals of the World Twenty20 after beating Pakistan by 22 runs at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali in their Super 10 stage match on Tuesday.
'The future of finger-spinners lies in the perception of people'
Trent Boult produced an economical spell of bowling to take three wickets and help New Zealand to a tense three-run win over Sri Lanka in their first Twenty20 international on Thursday.
Darren Bravo provided stubborn resistance to New Zealand's bowlers bringing up his maiden Test double century to ensure West Indies made the hosts bat again and sent the first Test at University Oval in Dunedin into a fifth and final day.
Kirk Edwards and Darren Bravo scored half centuries as West Indies battled to save the first Test against New Zealand but were still 228 runs from making the hosts bat again at the close of play on the third day in Dunedin on Thursday.
Brimming with confidence after a clean-sweep in the Test series, India will look to carry on their dominance over New Zealand when the two teams lock horns in the first cricket One-day International of the five-match series, in Dharamsala on Sunday.
New Zealand spinners claimed three wickets in the morning session but India extended their advantage to a daunting 308 runs by lunch on the fourth day of the first Test at Kanpur's Green Park Stadium on Sunday.
But it was all Mumbai after that as Yadav joined Pawar at the crease. Yadav would have gone back without scoring had Sodhi not made mess of a regulation catch off his own bowling. That dropped catch proved costly for New Zealand as Yadav took their attack to the cleaners. Whether it was the express pace of Trent Boult and Neil Wagner or the three spinners, it did not matter much to Yadav. Such was his dominance that he brought up his 50 as well as his 100 with a six.
Images from the third One-Day International between New Zealand and India in Mount Maunganui on Monday.
Chris Gayle blasted one of the fastest half-centuries in Test cricket history to steer the West Indies to an emphatic 10-wicket victory over New Zealand in the second Test in Trinidad on Friday.
India will strive to play with the same grit they displayed in the second match in Pune when they square off against New Zealand in the third and final One-Day International of the series, in Kanpur, on Sunday.
Rajneesh Gupta presents statistical summary of Rajasthan Royals and much more.
New Zealand are hoping to give a better account of themselves when they take on the Indian Board President's XI in the final warm-up game on Thursday before the first One-Day International, in Mumbai on October 22.
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson would have liked to have had more Test cricket this season after series victories over West Indies and England in the four red-ball matches they were able to host.
New Zealand all-rounder Corey Anderson was confirmed in his team's playing side for their series-deciding third and final Test against West Indies in Hamilton starting on Thursday.
Facing the prospect of a series defeat at home for the first time in 15 months, skipper Virat Kohli will have a relook at his team combination as hosts India take on a resurgent England in a do-or-die second T20 International, in Nagpur on Sunday.
Mominul Haque struck an unbeaten century as Bangladesh battled back bravely against New Zealand to leave the second Test and series up for grabs after an entertaining fourth day in Mirpur on Thursday.
Corey Anderson smashed his first Test century as New Zealand reached 419 for eight against Bangladesh to take a first innings lead of 137 on the third day of the second and final Test in Dhaka on Wednesday.
590 cricketers -- including 370 Indian players and 220 overseas players -- will go under the hammer during the two-day mega auction in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13.
After his half-century helped New Zealand register a series-levelling 19-run victory over India opener Martin Guptill said the conditions were tough for batting once the ball lost it's shine.
Centurion Colin Munro credited New Zealand's "outstanding" bowling attack for the 40-run victory in the second T20 International, in Rajkot, on Saturday, saying dismissing the in-form India openers early was "massive".
Earlier, Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma struck scintillating half-centuries during a record 158-run partnership and powered India to a formidable 202 for three.
Hobart Hurricanes produced a commanding performance to beat Northern Knights by 86 runs in a Group B match in Raipur to keep their hopes afloat in the Oppo Champions League Twenty20.
Top order batsman Kane Williamson will return to New Zealand's lineup for the second Test against West Indies on Wednesday after coming through fitness tests on his broken thumb, captain Brendon McCullum said on Tuesday.
New Zealand's bowlers kept chipping away at the wickets to reduce India to 239 for seven on Day 1 of the second Test at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, on Friday. The 24-year-old from Christchurch, who replaced Ish Sodhi, dismissed Shikhar Dhawan (1) and Murali Vijay (9) in the first 50 minutes in his brilliant first spell of 6-2-14-2 as the Kiwis seamers utilised the grassy condition to full effect after Kohli opted to bat.