5 epic Test matches India should’ve won

#4 Wellington, April 2009, Match drawn with New Zealand

Gautam Gambhir gave India a huge lead after a masterful 167 in the first Innings

This is one of those Test matches India had in their kitty but they threw it away. One of the closest draws India has been part of, the match was set up by their first innings score of 379, thanks to half-centuries from Sachin, MS Dhoni and Harbhajan Singh. New Zealand were skittled out for a mere 197, with Zaheer Khan picking up a 5-wicket haul and Harbhajan cleaning up the Kiwi middle-order.

After a massive 182 run lead, India batted on, painful and bizarrely for 116 overs scoring 434 runs for 7 wickets, Gautam Gambhir top-scoring with 167. India set New Zealand a massive target of 617.

They had plenty of time, they thought and victory looked certain at the end of Day 4 when New Zealand were in a spot of bother at 167 for 4 in 56 overs. But only 38 overs were possible on the final day thanks to rain intervention and the match ended as a draw with New Zealand 281 for 8 in 94.3 overs, Ross Taylor scoring 107. India’s bizarre lack of proactivity could be explained by the fact that they did win the series 1-0.

But, this apathy towards potential winning situations was badly exposed in a game that they had no right ending with a draw.