Best figures for India vs New Zealand in Tests

On the first day of the second Test match being played between India and New Zealand at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Cricket Stadium in Pune, the first innings of the Kiwi team was reduced to 259 runs. New Zealand's batsmen could not stand against the Indian spinners and despite a good start, they fell apart like a pack of cards after lunch. 

Also Read: Highest opening partnership average in WTC history (Minimum 10 innings)

India's talented all-rounder Washington Sundar etched his name in record books with a stunning bowling display. He bowled four maidens and took seven wickets for 59 runs in 23.1 overs. This is the fourth-best figure scored by any Indian bowler against New Zealand. Let's take a look at the bowlers with the best figures for India vs New Zealand in Test cricket.

Best figures for India vs New Zealand (Test)

1# Srinivas Venkataraghavan | 8/72 (1965)

An off-spinner who was both accurate and effective, Srinivas Venkatraghavan was a member of the famous spin quartet which foxed the best batsmen in the 60’s and 70’s. In his fourth Test, Venkat captured 8 New Zealand wickets for 72 runs in the first innings of the four-day Test at Delhi. He, in fact, was lucky to be playing in the Test. Venkat had made his debut in the first match of the series. He had bowled decently in 3 drawn Tests, capturing nine wickets at 27 apiece. 

2# Erapalli Prasanna | 8/76 (1975)

Indian bowling legend, Erapalli Prasanna is known for deceiving batsmen with his magical spin. The best spell in Erapalli’s legendary career came in January 1976, in the city of Auckland. The New Zealand side batted first and scored 266. Bhagwat Chandrasekar picked up a sensational six-wicket haul for India in the first innings. India replied with a massive total of 414, with Sunil Gavaskar and Surinder Amarnath slamming centuries.

In the 2nd innings, Prasanna completely outplayed the Kiwi batsmen. The crafty spinner gobbled up the entire New Zealand batting lineup, and picked up 8 wickets, giving away 76 runs, as New Zealand were bowled out for 215. India was set a paltry target of 68, and they comfortably cantered home with 8 wickets to spare.

3# Ravichandran Ashwin | 7/59 (2016)

Ravichandran Ashwin, one of the best spinners of the current generation, achieved his best Test bowling figures against New Zealand in 2016, where he took 7 wickets for 59 runs in the second innings. One of the few cricketers who have represented India in more than 100 Test matches, Ashwin had achieved the distinction of becoming the fastest Indian to reach 500 wickets in Tests.

In the third Test in Indore in 2016 against New Zealand, India thoroughly dominated in both batting and bowling departments. Ashwin picked up 6 for 81 in the first innings, and followed it up with 7 for 59 in the second innings to end up with extraordinary match haul figures of 13 for 140 in the Test.

Also Read: Most Wickets in Test Cricket | Ashwin moves up to no. 7

4# Washington Sundar | 7/59 (2024)

India have their noses in front of New Zealand after the end of day one in the ongoing Pune Test after Washington Sundar spun a fine web around the Kiwi batters and claimed his first-ever five-wicket haul in international cricket. Sundar was the wrecker-in-chief for India as he returned figures of 7/59 and allowed India to put a bridle on New Zealand.

With this stellar performance, Sundar also matched his senior partner Ravichandran Ashwin's record of 7/59 against New Zealand in Tests (2016), achieving the feat in just his fifth Test appearance. Sundar’s figures were the best by an Indian spinner other than R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja since Anil Kumble claimed 7-48 against Australia at Chennai in 2004/05. Even among seamers, Irfan Pathan equalled Sundar’s figures (against Zimbabwe at Harare in 2005) but no one went past them.