NZ vs IND 2026: 1st ODI Match Preview

New Zealand and India square off in the first ODI in the five-match series on Wednesday, November 4, at Eden Park, Auckland.

After an intriguing T20I series, which India won 3-2, the ODI leg promises to be a riveting affair and a dress rehearsal for both teams ahead of next year's World Cup.

All eyes will be on the legendary duo of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, while the in-form Shubman Gill will look to continue his purple patch in the 50-over format this year. Mohammed Siraj will spearhead the bowling attack in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, while the likes of Gurnoor Brar and Arshdeep Singh will have to step up.

On the other hand, New Zealand will once again have Mitchell Santner at the helm. Three solid batters - Henry Nicholls, Will Young, and Tom Latham have been added to the side while the likes of Glenn Phillips and Daryl Mitchell would want to continue their rich vein of form from the T20I series.

On the bowling front, the new-ball duo of Matt Henry and Jacob Duffy could cause serious problems if there is some assistance for the pacers. Michael Bracewell and Santner will continue as the spin-bowling pair for the Black Caps.

NZ vs IND: Match Details

Eden Park, Auckland: Pitch Report

The Eden Park in Auckland produced a high-scoring clash in the fourth T20I as the Kiwis posted 259/7. The new ball will swing around and the top-order batters will have to be wary. If the batting team can see out the new ball, they can post or chase down any total. The ball comes on nicely onto the bat and the boundaries are on the shorter side.

NZ vs IND: Head-to-Head Record in ODIs

NZ vs IND: Probable Playing 11s

New Zealand

Will Young, Henry Nicholls, Tom Latham (WK), Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (C), Nathan Smith, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy.

India

Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (C), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Naman Dhir, Axar Patel, Gurnoor Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj.