12 March,2021 10:33 AM IST | Mumbai | Rohan Koli
Indian off-spinner Erapalli Prasanna came up with a splendid bowling effort by claiming 24 wickets in the series. PIC/Getty Images
India registered its first Test series win abroad on this day, exactly 53 years ago. On March 12, 1968, in Auckland, MAK Pataudi's men thrashed New Zealand 3-1 in the four-match series on their home soil to create history.
India were touring New Zealand for the first time and a lot was not expected from the visitors who came into the series on the back of big defeats against England (0-3) and Australia (0-4).
The first Test at Dunedin favoured spin and Indian tweakers comprising Bishan Bedi, Bapu Nadkarni and Erapalli Prasanna claimed 11 wickets among themselves. The visitors won the opening Test by five wickets for their first-ever win away from home, 35 years after playing its first Test abroad (v England in 1932).
Opener Graham Dowling (143) and Bevan Congdon (58) put on 155 for the second wicket - a then NZ record against India - to give the hosts a fine start. The Kiwis were cruising at 200 for one before Congdon was clean bowled by left-arm orthodox spinner Nadkarni. The hosts eventually finished the day on 248-5. Medium-pacer Abid Ali's 4-26 restricted New Zealand to 350.
The Indian batsmen took full advantage of New Zealand's sloppy fielding (they went on to drop as many as eight catches) as the visitors looked comfortable at 192-2 before being reduced to 302-9. But, no. 10 batsman Ramakant Desai (32 not out), who fractured his jaw after being hit by right-arm pacer Dick Motz, showed tremendous courage. He went on to put a 57-run stand for the last wicket with Bedi (22) as the tourists posted 359, to take a nine-run lead.
The Kiwis struggled against the spin of Prasanna (6-94) and could only post 208 in the second essay, thus setting a 200-run target for the visitors. With just 39 needed on the final day and seven wickets in hand, the morning session was delayed by an hour due to rain. But soon after lunch, India went on to make history by winning a Test for the first time on foreign soil.
The Kiwis made a strong comeback in the second Test at Christchurch. Pataudi's decision of asking New Zealand to bat first backfired on a pacer-friendly track after openers Bruce Murray and Dowling put on 126 for the first wicket. The Kiwis ended the day in a strong position at 273-3. Skipper Dowling, overnight 135, went on to score a record 239 as the hosts punished India to post a massive 502. In reply, the tourists stumbled for 288. With an overall lead of 214, captain Dowling asked India to bat again. A brilliant 63 by opener Farokh Engineer, followed by 45 and 47 by Rusi Surti and Pataudi respectively, took India to 230-4 before right-arm pacer Gary Bartlett (6-38) reduced the visitors to 301. New Zealand chased the 88-run target with six wickets in hand to level the series 1-1.
Prasanna's five-wicket haul in the first innings and six wickets by Nadkarni in the second essay helped India win the third Test at Wellington by eight wickets. Batting first, the hosts reached 147-4 on Day One, interrupted by rain and bad light. Offie Prasanna claimed five of the remaining six wickets on the second morning as the hosts collapsed to 186 all out. Thanks to Ajit Wadekar's maiden century (143), the visitors in reply posted 327 - a lead of 141.
New Zealand ended Day Three at 143-4 to stay alive in the game. But Nadkarni and Prasanna went through the Kiwis lower order to bowl out the hosts for 199. India chased the 59-run target for the loss of two wickets to take a 2-1 lead in the four-match series.
Pataudi's men won the fourth Test at Auckland by a massive 272 runs to register its name in the record books. Batting first, India lost first two wickets for just 13, but wicketkeeper-batsman Engineer (44) played some fine shots to help India end a rain-marred opening day on 61-2.
Pataudi's patient 51 and Borde's 41 took India to 209-5 at lunch, but the tourists were soon all out for 252. New Zealand, in reply, were bowled out for a mere 140, thanks to Prasanna's 4-44 and two wickets each by left-arm pacer Surti and left-arm spinner Bedi.
Surti (99) and Borde (65 not out) batted beautifully in the second essay to put on a 126-run stand for the fifth wicket before the former was dismissed one run short of his maiden Test century. India declared their second innings on 261-5 after an hour's batting on the final day to hand New Zealand a target of 347 on Day Five.
With Indian spinners turning the ball abruptly, New Zealand batsmen made no efforts of staying at the crease. Prasanna (who picked 24 wickets in the series) and Bedi claimed seven wickets among themselves in the second essay to skittle the Kiwis for just 101 in the third session and register a record 3-1 series win.
