The New Zealand cricket team toured India in the 1964-65 cricket season. They played four Test matches against the Indian cricket team, with India winning one match and the other three being drawn.
Background New Zealand travelled to India after a three-match drawn Test series against Pakistan at home. The Indian Express pointed out that one of the "several lessons" they learnt from the series was the lack of genuine spin bowlers. In this regard, Vic Pollard and Graham Vivian were included in the squad to support left-arm spinner Bryan Yuile. It also added that "lapses in temperament" and a "shortage of batsmen with stroke and enterprise" were the two other weaknesses in the side. On the positives, their fast bowlers were in good form, alongside batsmen Ross Morgan and John Reid. The latter were to be complemented by Bert Sutcliffe, once considered the best left-handed batsman in the world. Before the series, captain John Reid mentioned that it was "hard going straight into the series without a loosening up match in Indian conditions." However, he rated his team better than the one that toured the country in 1955–56.
Squads Touring party A 15-member New Zealand squad for the tour of India, Pakistan and England was announced by the New Zealand Cricket on 14 February 1965. John Reid was named the captain and Graham Dowling, his deputy. Bert Sutcliffe made a comeback to the side coming out of retirement after five years. Four players — Terry Jarvis, Vic Pollard, Bruce Taylor and Graham Vivian — made the squad for the time. The team manager for the tour was Walter Hadlee. The party arrived in Madras, the venue of the First test, on 24 February.
The team members were: John Reid, Wellington, captain & all-rounder Graham Dowling, Canterbury, vice-captain & opening batsman Frank Cameron, Otago, fast-medium bowler Richard Collinge, Central Districts, fast-medium bowler Bevan Congdon, Central Districts, all-rounder Terry Jarvis, Auckland, opening batsman Ross Morgan, Auckland, batsman Dick Motz, Canterbury, fast-medium bowler Vic Pollard, Central Districts, all-rounder Barry Sinclair, Wellington, batsman Bert Sutcliffe, Northern Districts, batsman Bruce Taylor, Canterbury, fast-medium bowler Graham Vivian, Canterbury, batsman and leg break bowler John Ward, Canterbury, wicket-keeper Bryan Yuile, Central Districts, left arm orthodox bowler
India squad The Indian selectors picked the same squad that played Australia at home earlier that season, with the exception of Indrajitsinhji, who was replaced by Farokh Engineer as the wicket-keeper in the playing eleven. The former was included in the reserves. The Nawab of Pataudi Jr. was retained as the captain. The squad was announced on 15 February 1965.
The team members were:
Nawab of Pataudi Jr., captain Chandu Borde BS Chandrasekhar Ramakant Desai Salim Durani Farokh Engineer, wicket-keeper Indrajitsinhji, wicket-keeper ML Jaisimha Vijay Manjrekar Bapu Nadkarni Dilip Sardesai Ramesh Saxena Hanumant Singh Venkataraman Subramanya S. Venkataraghavan
Series summary First Test
Second Test
Third Test
Fourth Test
References
External links Tour home at ESPNcricinfo