New Zealand's preparations for the ODI series against India have hit an early bump. Opening batter Devon Conway has been ruled out of the first ODI at Eden Park, Auckland, after suffering a concussion in a training collision with fast bowler Matt Henry. Skipper Mitchell Santner broke the news at the pre-match press conference on Tuesday, November 3, a day before the series opener, and confirmed that Tim Seifert is set to come in.
What Happened at Eden Park
Conway and Henry ran into each other while both went for a high catch during a fielding drill at Eden Park. Medical staff attended to both players at the ground, and both went through head injury assessments. Conway was then taken to hospital for further checks.
New Zealand Cricket later confirmed the diagnosis, saying Conway "was taken to A&E for further examination, which confirmed a concussion." NZC said both players will be monitored and that it will give an update on their involvement in the rest of the series later.
Santner said Henry had gone through the concussion protocol and looked fine. "He seems okay, but Dev's been rushed off-premises," he said. On the replacement, he added that "it'll probably be a direct swap if Dev's unavailable, which is a shame."
New Zealand's Growing Injury List
Conway's absence adds to a tough few days for the hosts. Rachin Ravindra and Mark Chapman have both been ruled out of the entire five-match series, and Henry Nicholls has been drafted into the squad. Seifert, who smashed a match-winning 93 in the fifth T20I in Hamilton, now gets a chance at the top of the order in the 50-over format.
The Kiwis still have plenty of experience. Tom Latham will keep wicket, Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips bring power in the middle order, and Michael Bracewell and Santner add spin. Kyle Jamieson, Jacob Duffy and Nathan Smith are the main pace options alongside Henry, if he is cleared to play.
India's Team News
India also go in without two frontline fast bowlers. Jasprit Bumrah has been rested from the ODIs, and Prasidh Krishna has been ruled out after failing a fitness test on a hamstring injury. Auqib Nabi has replaced him for the first three games. Nitish Kumar Reddy stays with the squad for the opener before he joins India A.
The big story for Indian fans remains the return of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who now play only ODIs. Both batted at Eden Park on Sunday and did indoor and gym work on Monday, while captain Shubman Gill put in a long batting and fielding session with KL Rahul. India have one more training session on Tuesday afternoon.
Selection Questions for Gill
India's main calls are in the middle order and the pace attack. KL Rahul is expected to keep wicket, with Ishan Kishan as the alternative. Shreyas Iyer, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Naman Dhir and Nitish Kumar Reddy are in the mix for the middle and lower order spots. With Bumrah and Prasidh missing, Mohammed Siraj is likely to lead the pace attack, with Arshdeep Singh, Gurnoor Brar and Anshul Kamboj fighting for the other places. Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel are expected to handle the spin.
| Match Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | New Zealand vs India, 1st ODI (of 5) |
| Date | Wednesday, November 4, 2026 |
| Venue | Eden Park, Auckland |
| Toss / Start | 7:00 am IST / 7:30 am IST |
| Captains | Shubman Gill (India), Mitchell Santner (NZ) |
| ODI head-to-head | 123 matches: India 63, NZ 52, 1 tie, 7 no result |
| Out for NZ | Devon Conway (1st ODI), Rachin Ravindra, Mark Chapman (series) |
| Out for India | Jasprit Bumrah (rested), Prasidh Krishna (hamstring) |
| TV / Streaming | Sony Sports Network / SonyLIV |
Possible Playing XIs
These are likely line-ups based on squad news, not official team sheets.
India: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh.
New Zealand: Tim Seifert, Will Young, Henry Nicholls, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (wk), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (c), Nathan Smith, Kyle Jamieson, Jacob Duffy or Matt Henry.
What It Means for Indian Fans
India arrive after a 3-2 win in the T20I series, but New Zealand won the last two matches and will want to carry that form into the ODIs. A Kiwi side missing Conway, Ravindra and Chapman gives India's bowlers a real opening, especially with the new ball. On the flip side, India's own pace attack is thinner than usual, so the spinners could play a big role in the middle overs.
With the 2027 ODI World Cup getting closer, this series is also about building a settled core. How Rohit and Kohli start, and how Gill handles a dressing room with two former captains, will be followed closely back home.
What Happens Next
The first ODI starts at 7:30 am IST on Wednesday, so Indian fans can catch the action before work or school. The second ODI follows on Saturday, November 7, in Wellington. NZC's update on Conway and Henry will decide how much New Zealand need to reshuffle for the rest of the series.
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