A Test that will be remembered for New Zealand’s titanic batting rearguard ended in a tame draw in Wellington, consigning India to a 1-0 series defeat.
The tourists reached 3-166 when both teams agreed to end the second Test 15 overs early at 5.23pm.
Virat Kohli had time to score his sixth Test century, finishing unbeaten on 105 after putting on 112 with Rohit Sharma (31no).
They didn’t lose a wicket in a shortened final session, steadying the ship after collapsing to 2-12 and 3-54 before tea.
The faint chance of a New Zealand win appeared to improve when key batsman Kohli, on 15, appeared to edge the ball to wicketkeeper BJ Watling.
However, Australian umpire Steve Davis turned down a vociferous appeal and Kohli – dropped soon afterwards by bowler Tim Southee on his follow through – steered his team comfortably home.
India were never a chance of reaching 435 to square the series, with New Zealand captain and triple century-maker Brendon McCullum opting for a conservative declaration when his team were 8-680 just before lunch.
The tourists made a shaky start, losing openers Shikhar Dhawan (2) and Murali Vijay (7) inside the first eight balls of the second session.
India were 3-54 when Cheteshwar Pujara (17) snicked Southee to Watling, giving the `keeper his 15th catch of the series – a world record for a two-Test affair.
The Basin Reserve crowd had thinned considerably from that which witnessed McCullum become New Zealand’s first owner of a Test triple century early on day five.
He was dismissed two balls later but his match-saving innings of 302 – which was the fulcrum of a number of toppled records – rescued New Zealand, who were outplayed for the first half of the Test.
McCullum surpassed Martin Crowe’s 299 to reach the highest score by any New Zealand batsman, earning a prolonged standing ovation following a tension-packed 45 minutes on Tuesday morning.
McCullum, who set up the first Test win in Auckland with his 224, was the Test’s central figure – even before a ball was bowled.
He lost the toss on Friday, forcing his team to bat in explosive first-day conditions.
New Zealand capitulated for 192 and couldn’t stop India reaching 438 before the end of day two.
Trailing by 246 runs and reduced to 94-5 in their second innings, New Zealand’s chances were virtually buried before McCullum and Watling combined for a belligerent world record sixth-wicket partnership of 352.
Watling (124) and debut allrounder James Neesham (137no) lifted New Zealand to their highest Test score – the strapping Neesham zooming to the best score by any No.8 debuting for their country.