Tom Latham Celebrates New Zealand’s First Test Victory

Tom Latham the New Zealand captain expressed pride after his team secured their first Test victory in India in 36 years marking only their third win ever on Indian soil. Despite being dismissed for a duck by Jasprit Bumrah, Latham witnessed his teammates Will Young and Rachin Ravindra guide New Zealand to an eight-wicket victory, successfully chasing down a target of 107 runs in Bengaluru.

This win gives New Zealand a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series with previous Test victories in India dating back to 1969 in Nagpur and 1988 in Mumbai. The team set the stage for victory on the first day by bowling India out for just 46 runs—their lowest Test total at home. Tom Latham reflected on the significance of the win, stating, “There have been a lot of teams that have come here over that long period of time, so obviously it’s a special feeling.”

He credited the team’s strong performances with both bat and ball in setting up the win. For India, captain Rohit Sharma took some positives from his team’s performance in the second innings, particularly their effort to recover from a massive first-innings deficit. Sarfaraz Khan scored an impressive 150 while wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant added 99 runs helping India post a total of 462 in their second innings.

However, Bumrah’s early wickets, including Latham and Devon Conway provided a moment of hope for India before Ravindra and Young ensured a smooth finish for New Zealand. As they prepare for the second Test in Pune, Rohit emphasized the need to build on the positives knowing they have the experience to bounce back especially with their history of winning 18 consecutive Test series at home since 2012.