This Gautam Gambhir record on NZ soil remains unmatched (Tests)
What's the story
India are gearing up to take on New Zealand in a two-Test series, starting on November 19. Gautam Gambhir, who is the Indian team's head coach on this tour, has several pleasant memories on NZ soil. The southpaw was instrumental to India's famous 1-0 win in the 2009 Test series against the Kiwis. His marathon knock in Napier is still counted as one of the best knocks by an overseas batter in New Zealand. On this note, we look at the prestigious Test feat Gambhir owns in the Island nation.
Knock
A jaw-dropping display of grit
Having won the opener in Hamilton by 10 wickets, India were 1-0 up in the aforementioned three-match series in 2009.
However, the Napier affair saw the team receive a follow-on after perishing for 305 in response to NZ's 619/9.
While the visitors' defeat seemed certain at this point, Gambhir had other plans.
In the second innings, the opener batted for nearly 11 hours, facing 436 balls for his 137 (18 fours).
He helped India (476/4) seal a famous draw.
Feat
Gambhir in a league of his own
The 436 balls faced by Gambhir are still the most by a visiting batter in the third or fourth innings of a Test in New Zealand, as per Cricinfo.
Sri Lanka's Asanka Gurusinha (429 in Dunedin, 1995) and West Indies's Darren Bravo (416 in Dunedin, 2013) are the only other visiting batters to face 400-plus balls in this regard.
The next spot among Indian batters on this list also belongs to Gambhir, having faced 257 balls for his 167 in the following Test in Wellington.
Feats
Gambhir faced over 900 balls in that series
Gambhir finished this Test series as the highest run-scorer, having smashed 445 runs across six innings at an incredible average of 89.
No other Indian has even managed 350 runs in a Test series in NZ.
Meanwhile, Gambhir faced as many as 946 deliveries in that series.
Among away batters, only Australia's Ian Redpath has faced more balls in a bilateral Test series in NZ (968 in 1974).
No other batter has faced 900-plus deliveries in this regard.