Over the past decade, India has secured stunning victories in 18 consecutive test series and held a reputation for remaining undefeated on home soil. However, the dominance of a 12-year-long winning streak record comes to an end under Team India’s new head coach Gautam Gambhir’s era as Rohit Sharma’s led side faced a 2-0 defeat in the ongoing 3-match test series against New Zealand.

On October 26 (Saturday), the New Zealand cricket team led by Tom Latham created history at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium in Pune by winning their first-ever test series on Indian grounds. The powerful bowling attack of the visitors crushed the hosts to a 113-run defeat on Day 3, which marked India’s first test series loss at home since 2012.

Opting to bat first on a turning track, the Kiwis ensured over a 100-run lead in both innings by posting a total of 259-10 in 79.1 overs and 156-10 in 45.3 overs in the first and second innings. In response, the Indian batters surrendered to a low total of 156-10 in 45.3 overs and 245-10 in 60.2 overs in both their innings.

Despite losing more than two tests at home in a single calendar year, India still retains its leading spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 points table with 98 points and      62.820 PCT (Points percentage system). However, losing back-to-back test matches in Bengaluru and Pune could cause problems in their voyage to qualify for the WTC 2025 final. 

The continuing red-ball series not only witnessed India’s first home test loss to New Zealand but also marked an end to numerous successful streaks.

Let’s delve deeper to find out six unwanted records India registered after their second test match loss to New Zealand.

1. First Home Test Series Loss Since 2012

Team India’s long-term record of unbeaten home test series that lasted for 12 years concluded with a 2-0 loss to New Zealand.

It was in 2012 when India lost their previous red ball series at home against England under MS Dhoni’s captaincy and Duncan Fletcher’s coaching. Alastair Cook’s led England cricket team at that time claimed a 2-1 series victory.

Shockingly, Gautam Gambhir was part of the Indian cricket team’s batting lineup in India’s 2012 test series loss. After 12 years, the captain-head coach combination of Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir couldn’t avoid the repetition of similar patterns of losses, that ended their dominance in-home test series that lasted more than a decade. 

2. Concluding an 18-Test Series win at Home

Starting from 2013 to 2024, India enjoyed maintaining an unchallenged record of continuously winning 18 home test series, which is a rare record accomplished by few teams in red-ball cricket history. A series loss to New Zealand ended India’s impressive achievement in-home test cricket record.

3. A 100-Run Lead in Back-to-Back Tests:

This is the second consecutive time the Indian cricket team allowed more than a 100-run lead to the opponents’ in-home test with their poor batting performance. In the Pune test, Team India concluded their first innings with just 156 runs resulting in New Zealand gaining a lead of 103 runs.

Mainly the half-centuries scored by these two batters helped the visitors score 259 runs on Day 1 by overcoming Washington Sundar’s 7-fer (7-53 in 19.3 overs):

• Devon Conway: 76 runs from 141 balls (including 11 fours). 
• Rachin Ravindra: 65 runs from 105 balls (including 5 fours and 1 six).

However, New Zealand after their second innings still maintained a 358-run lead riding on the brilliant contributions of these batters on Day 2 and Day 3:

• Tom Latham: 86 runs from 133 balls (including 10 fours). 
• Glenn Phillips (not out): 48 runs from 82 balls (including 4 fours and 2 sixes).
• Tom Blundell: 41 runs from 83 balls (including 3 fours).

Although Yashasvi Jaiswal (77 runs from 65 balls– including 9 fours and 3 sixes) and Ravindra Jadeja (42 runs from 84 balls– including 2 fours) gave a fighting performance, their knocks went in vain as India fell 113 runs short of chasing a target of 359 runs.

New Zealand’s spin bowling all-rounder Mitchell Santner bagged the Player of the Match for his 7-wicket haul in the completing innings.

This is a similar scenario to the first test match of the series at Bengaluru, where India’s innings were wrapped to 46-all out in the first innings and New Zealand scored 402 to ensure a huge lead by 356 runs.

4. More than Two Home Test Matches Lost in a Calendar Year:

It is common for any team to lose either one or two test matches in a single calendar year and not more than that. But, in 2024, India lost three home test matches, which included one against England and the remaining two to New Zealand. It was in 1969 when the Indian cricket team lost all four home test matches in an entire year.

5. New Zealand’s Second Test Match Win in India:

Following their maiden test match victory in India by 8 wickets at M. Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru, the New Zealand cricket team extends their winning streak by winning the second test match on Indian soil as well.

6. India’s First Loss in Home Test Series against New Zealand:

This is one of the most unacceptable records as India lost the home test series to New Zealand for the first time in the history of cricket.

From 1955 to 2024, India has won 11 out of 13 home test series (including a drawn series in 2003), thereby registering an unwanted record of the first loss against New Zealand in the longest format and the stats are tabulated below in detail: