November 1955 saw India hosting New Zealand for the first Test at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium, Hyderabad from November 19 to 23, 1955. After years of building experience and refining their skills, the Indian side showcased dominance, winning by an innings and 27 runs in front of a passionate home crowd.
Under the captaincy of Vijay Hazare, India displayed a combination of disciplined batting, clever bowling, and tactical acumen. New Zealand, led by John Reid, struggled to match the home team’s intensity, with Indian bowlers, particularly Subhash Gupte and Vinoo Mankad, dismantling their batting line-up.
This match became an early example of India’s growing prowess in Test cricket, particularly at home, and remains a celebrated encounter in Hyderabad’s cricket history.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | India vs. New Zealand – 1st Test |
| Dates | 19–23 November 1955 |
| Venue | Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium, Hyderabad |
| Toss | India won the toss and elected to bat |
| Result | India won by an innings and 27 runs |
| Match Format | 5-day Test |
| Umpires | M. G. Vijaya Rao & S. Ramaswamy |
| Significance | India’s dominant home victory; part of India–New Zealand Test history |
Team Lineups
| India (Playing XI) | New Zealand (Playing XI) |
|---|---|
| Vijay Hazare (c) | John Reid (c) |
| Pankaj Roy | Bert Sutcliffe |
| Polly Umrigar | Bruce Pairaudeau |
| Nari Contractor | Trevor McMahon (wk) |
| Gulabrai Ramchand | Bob Blair |
| Vinoo Mankad | Tony MacGibbon |
| Subhash Gupte | Noel McGregor |
| Dattu Phadkar | Jack Alabaster |
| Ghulam Ahmed | Frank Mooney |
| Madhav Mantri (wk) | Murray Chapple |
| Ramakant Desai | Alex Moir |
New Zealand 1st Innings – 183 all out
Winning the toss, India elected to bat first, putting New Zealand under immediate pressure. The Kiwi batting line-up struggled against disciplined Indian bowling and spin variations.
Subhash Gupte (6/54) spun his way through the New Zealand order, while Vinoo Mankad (3/41) used his experience to take key wickets. Only Bert Sutcliffe (55) provided resistance with a patient knock.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Bert Sutcliffe | 55 | c Mantri b Gupte |
| John Reid (c) | 27 | b Desai |
| Bruce Pairaudeau | 18 | b Gupte |
| Trevor McMahon (wk) | 9 | b Mankad |
| Bob Blair | 12 | c Contractor b Gupte |
| Tony MacGibbon | 14 | b Desai |
| Noel McGregor | 17 | b Gupte |
| Jack Alabaster | 11 | b Gupte |
| Frank Mooney | 5 | c Phadkar b Mankad |
| Murray Chapple | 3 | b Desai |
| Alex Moir | 12* | Not out |
| Extras | 20 | |
| Total | 183 all out | 56.4 overs |
India 1st Innings – 310 all out
India responded with authority. Vijay Hazare (82) and Pankaj Roy (74) built a solid foundation with a measured partnership. Middle-order contributions from Polly Umrigar (61) and Ramchand (45) ensured India amassed a commanding total.
The Indian innings allowed them to declare with a huge lead of 127 runs, putting New Zealand in a precarious position.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Pankaj Roy | 74 | b MacGibbon |
| Vijay Hazare (c) | 82 | b Moir |
| Polly Umrigar | 61 | c Blair b MacGibbon |
| Gulabrai Ramchand | 28 | b MacGibbon |
| Nari Contractor | 12 | b MacGibbon |
| Dattu Phadkar | 21 | b MacGibbon |
| Vinoo Mankad | 34 | c Reid b MacGibbon |
| Subhash Gupte | 15 | b Moir |
| Madhav Mantri (wk) | 17 | c McMahon b MacGibbon |
| Ramakant Desai | 11* | Not out |
| Ghulam Ahmed | 15 | b MacGibbon |
| Extras | 20 | |
| Total | 310 all out | 88.3 overs |
New Zealand 2nd Innings – 153 all out
Faced with a massive deficit, New Zealand’s second innings mirrored the first. Gupte (5/48) and Desai (4/39) exploited home conditions perfectly. Sutcliffe again resisted with a patient 46, but wickets fell regularly at the other end.
India’s bowlers wrapped up the innings for 153, securing a victory by an innings and 27 runs.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Bert Sutcliffe | 46 | b Gupte |
| John Reid (c) | 18 | b Desai |
| Bruce Pairaudeau | 12 | b Gupte |
| Trevor McMahon (wk) | 9 | b Desai |
| Bob Blair | 11 | c Mantri b Desai |
| Tony MacGibbon | 8 | b Gupte |
| Noel McGregor | 10 | b Gupte |
| Jack Alabaster | 13 | b Gupte |
| Frank Mooney | 7 | c Contractor b Desai |
| Murray Chapple | 12 | b Gupte |
| Alex Moir | 7* | Not out |
| Extras | 10 | |
| Total | 153 all out | 50.2 overs |
India won by an innings and 27 runs
Highlights of the Match
- India dominated New Zealand in Hyderabad, winning by an innings and 27 runs.
- Subhash Gupte’s 11 wickets (6/54 & 5/48) spun India to victory.
- Vijay Hazare’s 82 and Pankaj Roy’s 74 anchored India’s innings.
- Polly Umrigar and Ramchand added crucial middle-order contributions.
- The match showcased India’s growing strength at home and in spin-friendly conditions.
- New Zealand struggled against India’s disciplined bowling attack and solid batting.