Wellington Test PHOTOS: McCullum, Neesham shine in dour draw

New Zealand won the two-Test series 1-0 after the second and final match against India ended in a draw on Day 5 at the Basin Reserve, in Wellington, on Tuesday.

Chasing an improbable 435 to win, the visitors scored 166 for three in 52 overs before the two captains decided to call off the proceedings, ahead of the 15 mandatory overs, with no result in sight.

- Scorecard

Earlier, Brendon McCullum became the first New Zealand batsman to hit a triple-hundred in Test cricket to take the match beyond the visitors' reach.

The home team amassed a mammoth 680 for eight, their highest ever total, before declaring a little before lunch.

McCullum scored a historic 302, getting to the milestone with a boundary off Zaheer Khan.

McCullum's 302 runs overtook Martin Crowe's 299, scored against Sri Lanka, also at the same ground in 1991, to become New Zealand's highest individual Test scorer.

It was also the third-highest innings by a number five batsman in Test cricket after Michael Clarke's 329 not out against India in 2012 and Sir Don Bradman's 304 against England in 1934. 

McCullum's effort is also the second-highest individual score in the second innings after Hanif Mohammad's 337 against the West Indies in 1958.

Overall, he is the 24th Test batsman to hit a triple hundred, while this is the 28th instance of a triple-hundred being scored.

New Zealand's captain lasted just two more balls after reaching the landmark, edging one to Dhoni off Zaheer. He faced 559 balls and struck 32 fours and four sixes during his monumental innings.

Having added a record 352 runs for the sixth wicket with B J Watling (124) a day earlier, McCullum added another 179 for the seventh wicket with Jimmy Neesham (137 not out).

New Zealand did not declare as anticipated and carried on, even as India put on their part-timers.

The Black Caps reached their highest Test innings total in the process, overtaking their effort of 671 for four against Sri Lanka in 1991, also at Wellington.

That set India an improbable target (435) to win the match and save the series.

Neesham is only the 10th New Zealand batsman to score a century on debut. 

In fact, he went a step further, acquiring a record in the process. 

He remained unbeaten on 137, the highest individual score by a batsman on debut batting lower than number seven, beating Azhar Mahmood's 128 not out against South Africa in 1997.

It was also the highest runs scored by a New Zealand batsman on debut, beating Scott Styris's 107 against the West Indies in 2002.

India negotiated the four overs before lunch, reaching 10 without loss. 

However, Trent Boult struck with the fifth delivery after resumption, getting Shikhar Dhawan (2) out leg before. The ball was high and would have left the stumps, but umpire Steve Davies thought otherwise. To be fair, the batsman was also guilty of not offering a shot. 

Three balls later, Tim Southee produced a beauty of a delivery to have Murali Vijay (7) caught by Corey Anderson at third slip. 

It would have been worse for India had umpire Davies not come to their rescue. Virat Kohli (on 15) nicked a Boult delivery and was caught behind, but the umpire didn't think so. 

Kohli made the most of his good fortune and went on to score his sixth Test hundred. 

The 25-year-old remained unbeaten on 105, adding 112 runs with Rohit Sharma (31 not out) in an unbroken fourth-wicket stand.

It was partnership that took Team India to safety after they were reduced to 54 for three with about 35 overs left to play.  

However, nothing could save India from another series defeat overseas.