Bishan Bedi, India’s new captain, missed the first Test match of the series, at Auckland. India were led by another new captain, Sunil Gavaskar. Gavaskar started his stint with 116 in the first innings, but his innings was overshadowed by a dazzling 124 from debutant Surinder Amarnath. Lala and Surinder Amarnath remain the only father-son combination to score hundreds on Test debut.

Having taken 3-64 in the first innings, EAS Prasanna now took 8-76 in the second. Prasanna’s second-innings figures remain the best by an Indian overseas. India won comfortably by eight wickets. India vs New Zealand Part 4, 1969/70: Ground-Staff Save Indian Humiliation.

Bedi returned to lead the second Test match, at Christchurch, but so did Richard Hadlee. Glenn Turner’s 117 helped New Zealand take a 133-run lead, but Gavaskar (71) and Gundappa Viswanath (79) played out a draw.

New Zealand now had to win in Wellington to square the series. Now Hadlee rose to the task. Coming on as second-change, he took 4-35 to bowl out India for 220 (they were 101/6 at one stage). Turner, Bevan Congdon, and Mark Burgess then all got fifties, and New Zealand secured a 114-run lead.

Almost two days were left. India’s chances of saving the Test match (and winning the series) had almost disappeared when a full-blooded pull by Lance Cairns off Prasanna hit Gavaskar on the cheekbone. Gavaskar had to undergo a surgery, and was ruled out of the Test match.

India still reached 46/1, then 75/3 by lunch. Then Hadlee (7-23) shot them out for 81 to help New Zealand win by an innings.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 21, 2021 05:10 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).