India's third-poorest Test series with the bat, and Kohli's second-worst
Only twice before had India averaged less with the bat per wicket in a Test series
Bharath Seervi02-Mar-202018.05 – India’s average runs per wicket in this series – their third-worst in any Test series. Incidentally, the two series in which they were worse also came against New Zealand: 13.37 in New Zealand in 2002-03, and 16.61 when New Zealand toured India in 1969-70.242 – India’s highest score in this series in the four innings. This is their second-lowest highest score in a series of two or more matches. In the 2002-03 series in New Zealand, India’s highest in the series was only 161, which is the lowest.34.61 – Average of New Zealand’s eighth to tenth-wicket partnerships in this series. The six partnerships for their last three wickets yielded 205 runs from two innings, with two fifty-plus stands. In both their first innings of the Tests, the lower order produced invaluable runs. In the second Test, the Kyle Jamieson-Neil Wagner stand of 51 for the eighth wicket kept the first-innings deficit to just seven runs. In the first Test, Jamieson and Colin de Grandhomme added 71 runs for the eighth wicket and then Jamieson and Trent Boult put on 38 runs for the final wicket to take the lead to 183. In contrast, India’s tail-enders scored just 124 in four innings at an average of 10.33.
The last time India’s bowlers conceded a higher average to the opposition’s last three wickets in a series was in the 2014-15 period in the successive series in England (average 42.92) and Australia (43.50).58 – The highest score by an India batsman in this series (Mayank Agarwal) – the lowest highest score in a series of two or more matches for India ever. In fact, the last time no India batsman scored a century in any series was back on the 2002-03 tour of New Zealand. India have played 60 Test series since then.2011-12 – The last time India suffered a whitewash in a series of two or more Tests. India had 4-0 defeats in England and Australia back then. Prior to that, their last series whitewash was, again, in New Zealand – 2-0 in 2002-03. So, this is the first time India have been whitewashed in Tests under Virat Kohli.ESPNcricinfo Ltd9.50 – Kohli’s average in this series – with scores of 2, 19, 3 and 14. It is his second-worst in any series. His only worse series was the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at home in 2016-17, when he averaged 9.20 with 46 runs in five innings. This was the tenth time an India captain averaged less than 10 in an away series of two-plus matches – India lost nine of those series (and drew one). On this tour, Kohli could get only 218 runs in 11 innings across formats.14 – Wickets for Tim Southee in this series, which makes it his second-most-productive series in terms of wickets taken. The only series in which he took more wickets (18) was against West Indies in 2013-14. He was Man of the Series for his performance here – only the second such award of his Test career.