The final days of 1955 brought a spectacular start to India’s home series against New Zealand. From December 28, 1955, to January 2, 1956, the historic Eden Gardens, Calcutta, witnessed a commanding display from India, who defeated the visitors by an innings and 109 runs in the first Test of the series.
Led by Vijay Hazare, India showcased a combination of patient batting and incisive bowling, asserting dominance over the touring Kiwi side. New Zealand, captained by Alec Coxon, struggled to cope with India’s disciplined attack and the challenging Eden Gardens pitch. This match highlighted emerging stars like Polly Umrigar, Subhash Gupte, and Vinoo Mankad, who collectively set the tone for India’s strong performance at home.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | India vs. New Zealand – 1st Test |
| Dates | 28 December 1955 – 2 January 1956 |
| Venue | Eden Gardens, Calcutta |
| Toss | India won the toss and elected to bat |
| Result | India won by an innings and 109 runs |
| Match Format | 5-day Test |
| Umpires | V. K. Rajindernath & K. R. Ashoka Rao |
| Significance | India’s dominant home victory; series opener against New Zealand |
Team Lineups
| India (Playing XI) | New Zealand (Playing XI) |
|---|---|
| Vijay Hazare (c) | Alec Coxon (c) |
| Pankaj Roy | Bert Sutcliffe |
| Polly Umrigar | John Reid |
| Nari Contractor | Jack Alabaster |
| Subhash Gupte | Tony MacGibbon |
| Vinoo Mankad | Noel Harford |
| Dattu Phadkar | Bob Blair |
| Gul Mohammad | Eric Petrie (wk) |
| Ghulam Ahmed | Frank Mooney |
| Probir Sen (wk) | Alex Moir |
| Salim Durani | Ian Leggat |
India 1st Innings – 433 all out
Winning the toss, India elected to bat first, making full use of the favorable Eden Gardens conditions. The innings was anchored by a sublime Polly Umrigar (105) and Vijay Hazare (92), who stitched crucial partnerships with measured strokeplay.
Lower-order contributions from Gul Mohammad (54) and Dattu Phadkar (43) pushed India’s total to a commanding 433, putting New Zealand immediately on the back foot.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Pankaj Roy | 35 | c Mooney b MacGibbon |
| Vijay Hazare (c) | 92 | b MacGibbon |
| Polly Umrigar | 105 | c Alabaster b MacGibbon |
| Nari Contractor | 21 | b Alabaster |
| Dattu Phadkar | 43 | b MacGibbon |
| Subhash Gupte | 12 | c Petrie b MacGibbon |
| Gul Mohammad | 54 | b Alabaster |
| Vinoo Mankad | 18 | b Alabaster |
| Ghulam Ahmed | 29 | b Coxon |
| Probir Sen (wk) | 14 | b MacGibbon |
| Salim Durani | 10* | Not out |
| Extras | 0 | |
| Total | 433 all out |
New Zealand 1st Innings – 179 all out
India’s spin duo of Subhash Gupte (5/47) and Ghulam Ahmed (4/58) dominated the Kiwi batsmen, who struggled against the turn and flight of the ball. Only Bert Sutcliffe (45) and John Reid (39) offered resistance, but wickets fell regularly at the other end, and New Zealand were bundled out for 179, trailing by 254 runs.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Bert Sutcliffe | 45 | b Gupte |
| John Reid | 39 | b Gupte |
| Alec Coxon (c) | 12 | c Umrigar b Gupte |
| Tony MacGibbon | 18 | b Ghulam Ahmed |
| Noel Harford | 7 | b Gupte |
| Bob Blair | 11 | c Phadkar b Gupte |
| Jack Alabaster | 10 | b Ghulam Ahmed |
| Eric Petrie (wk) | 14 | b Gupte |
| Frank Mooney | 9 | b Ghulam Ahmed |
| Alex Moir | 8 | b Gupte |
| Ian Leggat | 6 | b Gupte |
| Extras | 0 | |
| Total | 179 all out |
New Zealand 2nd Innings – 145 all out
Facing a massive deficit, New Zealand’s second innings showed early resistance from Sutcliffe (36) and Reid (29), but India’s bowlers were relentless. Vinoo Mankad (4/28), Gupte (3/41), and Phadkar (3/30) combined to wrap up the innings quickly.
New Zealand were bowled out for 145, handing India a comprehensive innings and 109 runs victory.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Bert Sutcliffe | 36 | b Vinoo Mankad |
| John Reid | 29 | c Hazare b Gupte |
| Alec Coxon (c) | 12 | b Vinoo Mankad |
| Tony MacGibbon | 15 | b Phadkar |
| Noel Harford | 8 | b Vinoo Mankad |
| Bob Blair | 9 | b Phadkar |
| Jack Alabaster | 6 | b Gupte |
| Eric Petrie (wk) | 10 | c Sen b Phadkar |
| Frank Mooney | 7 | b Vinoo Mankad |
| Alex Moir | 5 | b Gupte |
| Ian Leggat | 8 | c Hazare b Gupte |
| Extras | 0 | |
| Total | 145 all out |
India won by an innings and 109 runs
Highlights of the Match
- India delivered a dominant innings victory over New Zealand in the series opener.
- Polly Umrigar (105) and Vijay Hazare (92) anchored India’s huge first innings total.
- Subhash Gupte’s 8 wickets in the match (5/47 & 3/41) highlighted India’s spinning strength.
- Vinoo Mankad (4/28) and Dattu Phadkar (3/30) ensured New Zealand couldn’t recover in the second innings.
- India’s batting depth and bowling variety were key to the comprehensive win at Eden Gardens.
- This match reinforced India’s reputation as a tough side at home, especially against touring teams in the 1950s.