The India national cricket team toured New Zealand from 7 December 1998 to 19 January 1999 and played a three-match Test series against New Zealand. New Zealand won the series 1–0. The two teams also played a 5-match ODI series that ended in a 2–2 draw.
Background
India came into New Zealand with a poor away record. They had won just one Test away from home since 1986,[1] and not won a series in New Zealand since 1968.[2] Most recently, they had lost away to Zimbabwe in a one-off Test.[3]
From 35 meetings between the two sides, New Zealand had won six, lost 13, and drawn 16 Tests.[4] Going into the Test series, India had five batsmen ranked inside the top 20 of the ICC Men's Player Rankings, three of who averaged over 50. On the other hand, New Zealand had only one batsman averaging above 40, Craig McMillan, and that from only eight Tests. The Christchurch Press wrote, "Where the Black Caps achieve parity and should have an advantage at home is in the bowling ranks. Leg-spinner Anil Kumble and seam bowler Javagal Srinath are the cornerstones of India's bowling attack, while Venkatesh Prasad should develop further in New Zealand conditions. But India's back-up spin bowling resources are barely tried.... [t]hrough Chris Cairns, Dion Nash and Shayne O'Connor, there is wicket-taking prowess."[5]
Squads
India's 15-man Test squad for the tour was announced in November 1998. Harbhajan Singh, Navjot Singh Sidhu and Debashish Mohanty who were excluded from the side for the ICC KnockOut Trophy and tri-series earlier that year, were recalled.[1] The New Zealand Test squad was named on 8 December. Paceman Geoff Allott made a comeback into the squad for the third time and was included ahead of Shayne O'Connor as he offered "more pace and bounce". 21-year-old batsman Matthew Bell was added for the first time.[7] O'Connor was later added to the squad after Simon Doull was ruled out with a strained calf.[2] Roger Twose was included to their side for the Third Test replacing an injured Nathan Astle.[8]
Tour matches
Four-day: Central Districts v Indians
- Central Districts won the toss and elected to field.
Four-day: Wellington v Indians
- Indians won the toss and elected to field.
Friendly: New Zealand v India
- India won the toss and elected to field.
Test series
1st Test
- No toss made.
- Prolonged heavy rain forced match to abandoned on day 3.[9]
2nd Test
- India won the toss and elected to bat.
- Matthew Bell (NZ) made his Test debut.
3rd Test
- India won the toss and elected to field.
- Robin Singh Jr. (Ind) made his Test debut.
- Javagal Srinath made 76 in India's first innings, his highest individual score in Tests.[10]
- Rahul Dravid became the third India player to score two centuries in a Test.[10]
ODIs
1st ODI
- India won the toss and elected to bat.
- Play was stopped for 50 minutes due to technical fault in a floodlight tower. On resumption, New Zealand's target was revised to 200 runs off 39 overs.
- It was the first ODI played at this venue.
2nd ODI
- India won the toss and elected to field.
- Eight batsmen were dismissed run out in either side, the most in an ODI.[11]
3rd ODI
- New Zealand won the toss and elected to field.
- Initially reduced to 32 overs each, the match had to be eventually abandoned due to rain.
- Chris Drum (NZ) made his debut in ODIs.
4th ODI
- India won the toss and elected to field.
5th ODI
- India won the toss and elected to field.
- Chris Cairns (NZ) played his 100th ODI.[12] His century off 75 balls was the fastest by a New Zealand batsman.[13]
References
- ^ a b c "Controversial spinner recalled to Indian team (17 November 1998)". ESPNcricinfo. AFP. 17 November 1998. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
- ^ a b "India's away record a damper despite top batting stable (17 December 1998)". ESPNcricinfo. 17 December 1998. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
- ^ Rutnagur, D. J. (17 December 1998). "India on back foot before first ball (17 December 1998)". Electronic Telegraph. ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
- ^ "India v New Zealand: A hard-fought 43 years of Tests (18 December 1998)". The Christchurch Press. ESPNcricinfo. 18 December 1998. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
- ^ "Statistics back India (18 December 1998)". The Christchurch Press. ESPNcricinfo. 18 December 1998. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
- ^ "[India in New Zealand, 1998-99] New Zealand Squad". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
- ^ "Recalled Allott eager for step into the unknown (9 December 1998)". The Christchurch Press. ESPNcricinfo. 9 December 1998. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
- ^ "Twose chosen over Harris (31 December 1998)". The Christchurch Press. ESPNcricinfo. 31 December 1998. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
- ^ "First Test, New Zealand v India 1998-99". Wisden. ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
- ^ a b "New Zealand v India 1998-99". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
- ^ "Records / One-Day Internationals / Team records / Most batsmen run out in a match". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
- ^ "Cairns joins select 100 club (19 January 1999)". The Christchurch Press. ESPNcricinfo. 19 January 1999. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
- ^ "Chris Cairns' 75-ball Hundred (19 January 1999)". ESPNcricinfo. 19 January 1999. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
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