In about 13 days time, New Zealand will start their tour of India, consisting of thee Tests and five ODIs and ahead of that series, we go back in time to see great efforts by visiting Kiwi batsman on Indian soil in the longer format of the game.
5.Ross Taylor 113 (Bangalore 2012)
After getting humbled by an innings in Hyderabad, New Zealand arrived in Bangalore hoping to turn the tables on the hosts. Captain Ross Taylor called it right at the toss and opted to bat first.
But the openers didn't justify the call, and he walked out to bat at the score of 63. He slowly began to build the innings in the company of the likes of Martin Guptill, Daniel Flynn and others, but India kept pegging the Kiwis at vital junctures to ensure they didn't get away with the game.
Taylor used the slog-sweep over midwicket to good effect and eventually got to a well-deserved hundred at a venue he knew very well, having played three seasons of the Indian Premier League there with the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
He was eventually dismissed for 113, becoming one of five victims of Pragyan Ojha for the day. His effort, along with Kruger van vyk’s 71 helped New Zealand post a competitive 365 in their first innings.
4.Mark Richardson 145 (Mohali 2003)
After a draw in the first Test at Ahmedabad, India and New Zealand came to Mohali in the decider, looking to clinch the series. Kiwis skipper Stephen Fleming called it right at the toss and opted to bat.
The India bowlers were put to the sword from the word-go, as the opening pair of Mark Richardson and Lou Vincent put big pressure on the Indians, stitching together a massive stand of 231 runs for the first wicket.
Richardson brought up his hundred and marched on, despite the loss of Vincent and was the second man to be dismissed for a superb 145 that ensured that the Kiwis were in the driver’s seat.
His knock played a vital role in New Zealand making a mammoth 630 for 6 declared in their first innings.
3.Kane Williamson 131(Ahmedabad 2010)
Any performance on debut is a special effort and if it comes on overseas soil, then it is an even more commendable effort. After India had put up 487 runs in their first innings, New Zealand found themselves struggling at 137 for 4 when 20-year-old Kane Williamon joined Jesse Ryder to the middle.
Whoever saw the young man’s assurance at the wicket would not have said that he was 20 or was making his debut in Tests and along with the left-hander he began the rescue act for the visitors.
Williamson looked assured against both the off-spin of Harbhajan Singh and the left-arm spin of Pragyan Ojha and put on 194 runs for the fifth wicket. The right-hander brought up his ton with a boundary off Zaheer Khan to get his career off to the best possible start.
He was eventually dismissed for 131 and had shown the world of his capabilities.
2.Brendon McCullum 225(Hyderabad 2010)
After a draw in the first Test at Ahmedabad, both India and New Zealand went south-east, to the city of Hyderabad for the second Test of the three-match series. On winning the toss, they posted a hearlthy 350 in their first innings and then as was the case at the Motera, saw Harbhajan Singh torment them with the bat in hand, as he made his second consecutive Test hundred to give a lead of 122 runs.
Out came Brendon McCullum and he came not just with a heavy bat in his hand, but with an enormous intent to make it big. He put the Indian bowlers to the sword from the word-go with S Sreesanth facing the maximum brunt.
He got to his three-figure mark but didn’t stop there, continuing the assault to notch-up his maiden Test double hundred and ensure the Kiwis didn’t let India take the lead in the series.
McCullum was eventually gone for 225 off 308 balls and provided a lot of entertainment for the fans at the venue.
1.Bert Sutcliffe 230*(New Delhi 1955)
Not many non-subcontinental batsman were known for their prowess on Asian conditions, but Herbert Sutcliffe proved that notion wrong during New Zealand’s 1955-56 tour to India, when in the third Test at Delhi, he scored a wonderful 230 not out against the likes of Subash Gupte, Bapu Nandkani etc to give New Zealand a total of 450 for 2 declared.
The knock was filled wih 30 hits to the fence and showed to the world that a non-Asian batsman could succeed against quality spinners on subcontinental wickets.
The Test ended in a draw with India scoring over 500 in their first innings and ensured that neither team got a cleat result out of the Test.
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