The rivalry between the India National Cricket Team and the New Zealand National Cricket Team is one of the most captivating narratives in world cricket. It’s not an aggressive or hostile rivalry – but every time India and New Zealand go head-to-head, it results in a war of attrition with both teams playing disciplined, consistent, high-pressure cricket. Right from their inaugural Test encounter in during the 1950s to ICC events as big as the roomy ICC Champions Trophy 2025, both have, together made an unforgettable timeline that is a work-in-progress.
This comprehensive blog piece in chronological order includes head-to-head stats, team breakthroughs and landmarks, recent tournaments, key men and games to come for 2025-26.
India National Cricket Team vs New Zealand National cricket Team Timeline 1955 to 2025
1955–56: The Beginning
History The Test series between them started when New Zealand toured India for a five-Test series in 1955–56. Early contests of the day were dominated by India enjoying their home spin conditions. These early series were the bedrock for a mutual respect in cricket that would endure for decades.
1960s–1980s: Tests Become Competitive
By this stage, New Zealand were slowly building up its Test programme. Matches between them were displaying closer scorelines. India was always strong at home; New Zealand made themselves harder to conquer on their own soil.
1970s–2000s: ODI Cricket Expands
With the arrival and success of ODIs, India and New Zealand faced each other more often in limited-overs cricket. These Tommy fixtures created new stars and beefed up the bilateral rivalry. India frequently had depth in their batting, while New Zealand found their disciplined seamers a useful weapon whenever the ball swung.
2000s–2010s: Regular ICC Clashes
The teams have met quite a few times in huge tournaments such as ICC Champions Trophy, ICC Cricket World Cup and ICC World T20. Every match counted as both teams were putting together competitive teams with great players.
ICC Cricket World Cup Semifinal 2019
One of the stand-out modern moments came in last year’s World Cup semi-final, when New Zealand upset India despite a nail-biting, rain-effected climax. This moment only stoked the rivalry for a new crop of fans.
2020–22: Home dominance & stronger bilateral series
India started Bossing T20I series at their home and New Zealand continued to reign in their own basin. They played their encounter Test Championships, T20I tours, ODI battles with each series close to be a tactical cricket.
2023–2024: Balanced Contests
At the time, both teams took reciprocating wins in formats. India’s white-ball teams were formidable at home, and New Zealand kept pace – even against India in ICC competitions.
2025: ICC Champions Trophy
ICC Champions Trophy 2025 was one of the most unforgettable instances on the timeline of India and New Zealand cricket. The two teams came into the tournament as favourites, and their showing in Pune this week was that of quality, squeezed cricket.
A notable inclusion was the showdown between World Cup finalists at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, on Sunday 9March. India had pursued the target of 251 in 50 overs with a ball to spare and finished at 254/6 in 49 overs defeating New Zealand by four wickets. Both sides looked to be on edge and it showed in a tightly contested match that featured the nerves, skill and tactical awareness of both teams.
Indian captain Rohit Sharma won the Player of the Match for his excellent captaincy and batting performance. His composure under pressure, and the efforts of his team-mates in the middle overs made all the difference. New Zealand put up a serious fight to get it, scoring 251/7, but came just short in a tense finale.
True surfaces, long boundaries and dew making an appearance in the evening gave the contest layers. India’s spinners and bowlers fronted up when it counted; New Zealand’s middle order batting and bowling showed character but they were not able to get the job done. For India, this victory represented another high-profile ICC title; for New Zealand, the final once more exposed just how near they stand to felling the giant.
The Dubai summit was a significant way station in the chronology of encounters between the two teams, and 2025 emerged as fateful for their history of ICC global sporting events.
2025–2026: The Rivalry Continues
With a complete white-ball tour – consisting of ODIs and T20s – early next year in 2026, the India–New Zealand rivalry is poised to roll into another fascinating chapter. These games will be great preparation for both of the teams leading into the next ICC cycles.
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India vs New Zealand Head to Head
| Format | Tests | ODIs | T20Is |
| Matches | 65 | 120 | 25 |
| India Wins | 22 | 62 | 14 |
| New Zealand Wins | 16 | 50 | 10 |
| Tied/NR | 27 (draw) | 1/7 | 1 |
India National Cricket Team vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Timeline
Key Players in the Rivalry: India Vs New Zealand
India’s Players: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja
New Zealand Players: Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Devon Conway, Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson
Why This Rivalry Is So Special
Unlike some of the more intense cricket rivalries, India vs New Zealand is based on:
Sportsmanship
The clubs respect each other which means the matches are technically rich rather than verbally offensive.
Close Finishes
Capable of performing under pressure, it’s this factor that has ensured their recent clashes against India have been seldom lopsided.
Contrasting Strengths
- India’s batting power and spin
- Disciplined swing and seam bowing of New Zealand
This gives rise to a very distinctive tactical balance whenever they face off.
Upcoming Fixtures: New Zealand tour of India, 2026
3 ODIs Match Schedule
| Date | Match | Teams | Venue | Time (IST) |
| Sun, Jan 11, 2026 | 1st ODI | India vs New Zealand | Vadodara | 1:30 PM IST |
| Wed, Jan 14, 2026 | 2nd ODI | India vs New Zealand | Rajkot | 1:30 PM IST |
| Sun, Jan 18, 2026 | 3rd ODI | India vs New Zealand | Indore | 1:30 PM IST |
5 T20Is Match Schedule
| Date | Match | Teams | Venue | Time (IST) |
| Wed, Jan 21, 2026 | 1st T20I | India vs New Zealand | Nagpur | 7:00 PM IST |
| Fri, Jan 23, 2026 | 2nd T20I | India vs New Zealand | Raipur | 7:00 PM IST |
| Sun, Jan 25, 2026 | 3rd T20I | India vs New Zealand | Guwahati | 7:00 PM IST |
| Wed, Jan 28, 2026 | 4th T20I | India vs New Zealand | Visakhapatnam | 7:00 PM IST |
| Sat, Jan 31, 2026 | 5th T20I | India vs New Zealand | Thiruvananthapuram | 7:00 PM IST |
Conclusion
The story of the India vs New Zealand rivalry has been a tale of progress, respect and top-notch cricket. From the 1950s Tests to recent ICC tournaments-and their large showing in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025-these teams have continued to play quality competitive cricket.
Led by India on the overall head-to-head count, New Zealand’s tendency to rise to the big occasion means this contest is evenly set and unpredictable. Further fixtures have been added for 2025–26, and fans can hope there are yet more pages to add to this famous cricketing story.