The first Test match between India and New Zealand took place at Wellington's Basin Reserve from February 21st to 25th, 2020. New Zealand chose to bowl first, forcing India to open the batting on the first day.
India at Basin Reserves, Wellington played against the home ground team New Zealand in the 1st Test from 21st to 25th February 2020. New Zealand began the Test by deciding to field and India began their first innings on 21st February 2020.
India's batting order crumbled quickly against the New Zealand attack, with the team dismissed for just 165 runs, despite contributions from Rahane, Agarwal, Pujara, and Shami. New Zealand seized the momentum, piling up 348 runs in 100.2 overs, highlighted by Kane Williamson's 89, Ross Taylor's 44, and Colin de Grandhomme's 43.
During the second innings, India struggled to chase down a target of 191, leading to a comprehensive 10-wicket win for the hosts, spearheaded by Tom Latham and Tom Blundell. Virat Kohli, the Indian captain, noted that this single loss is not a reflection of the squad's true capabilities, implying that the environment in New Zealand might have caught them off guard.
Kohli pointed out that the team struggled to adapt their offensive and defensive strategies to counter the Kiwis' superior bowling and batting. He further asserted that external criticism or noise regarding individual players and the team wouldn't sway them, as they view this simply as one match in a series. The two sides are set to clash again in the second Test at Hagley Oval on February 29th.