"New Zealand's first Test win was in their 16th series, and that was a dead rubber after West Indies already led 3-0. They won their first series after 39 years, 1-0 against Pakistan in 1969. Before that series they had won six Tests in 92. And even after that first series win it took them another ten years to win another. New Zealand's paramount moment was not a win but a drawn series against England. To get the 0-0 result after three Tests, they batted like statues for days on end after stacking their batting. They didn't win a Test, but they won respect, and slowly over the years they continued to get better.
And it isn't just New Zealand. South Africa didn't win a Test until 15 years into their Test career, despite usually playing teams from England that included non first-class players, and third- or fourth-string teams. And in 1906, when they won, it was largely because they mastered the wrong'un before anyone in England knew much about it. Before that, they had lost every single Test they had played in bar one.
India's first two series wins were against Pakistan and New Zealand, both of whom had not won a series at that point. It took India 29 years to beat England in a series. It was 19 years before they beat England in a Test, and 15 Tests."
Source