The T20Is are done, and now the big names are back. The IND vs NZ ODI series 2026, a five-match contest, gets underway at Eden Park, Auckland, on Wednesday, November 4, with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli returning to the Indian side and Shubman Gill leading the team for the first three matches. Every game starts at 7:30 am IST, so fans in India will be watching with their morning tea.
India arrive in the 50-over leg on the back of a 3-2 T20I series win, though the last two games went New Zealand's way. That gives the ODIs an extra edge for both sides.
IND vs NZ ODI Series 2026: Full Schedule
| 1st ODI | Wednesday, Nov 4 - Eden Park, Auckland |
| 2nd ODI | Saturday, Nov 7 - Hnry Stadium, Wellington |
| 3rd ODI | Tuesday, Nov 10 - Seddon Park, Hamilton |
| 4th ODI | Friday, Nov 13 - Bay Oval, Tauranga (Mount Maunganui) |
| 5th ODI | Sunday, Nov 15 - Bay Oval, Tauranga (Mount Maunganui) |
| Start time | 7:30 am IST (3 pm local); toss at 7 am IST |
| TV in India | Sony Sports Network; DD Sports on DD Free Dish |
| Live streaming | SonyLIV app and website |
Rohit and Kohli Return
The headline for Indian fans is simple: Ro-Ko are back. Having stepped away from T20Is and Tests, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli now play only ODIs, which makes every 50-over series a rare chance to watch them together. Both come in with runs behind them. In the recent home ODI series against the West Indies, Rohit scored 225 runs, while Kohli hit an unbeaten 139 for his 55th ODI hundred.
New Zealand conditions will be a different test. Eden Park's short straight boundaries reward clean hitting, while Wellington can bring swing and wind into play. How the two veterans start in Auckland could set the tone for the entire tour.
Two Captains, Two Squads
India have picked separate squads for the two halves of the series. Shubman Gill leads in the first three ODIs, after which several red-ball players leave for the first Test at Wellington's Basin Reserve, which starts on November 19. Shreyas Iyer takes over as captain for the fourth and fifth ODIs, with Ishan Kishan as vice-captain and wicketkeeper.
India squad for 1st to 3rd ODIs (as announced): Shubman Gill (c), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Gurnoor Brar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Ishan Kishan (wk), Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav and Auqib Nabi, among others.
India squad for 4th and 5th ODIs: Shreyas Iyer (c), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan (vc, wk), Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Auqib Nabi, Gurnoor Brar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Kumar Kushagra (wk), Mohammed Siraj, Yash Thakur and Kuldeep Yadav.
Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jasprit Bumrah are part of the Test squad only, so India's pace attack in the ODIs will be led by Siraj and Arshdeep.
New Zealand's Line-Up
Mitchell Santner captains the hosts throughout. For the first three games, New Zealand have a strong, experienced group: Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham (wk), Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Nathan Smith, Blair Tickner and Will Young.
For the last two ODIs, several Test players leave and the hosts bring in names like Finn Allen, Lockie Ferguson, Tim Seifert, Mitch Hay, Kristian Clarke, Matt Fisher and Nick Kelly. Seifert, fresh from his match-winning 93 in the fifth T20I, and Phillips, who hammered a century in the fourth, will be the players India's bowlers will be most wary of.
What It Means for Indian Fans
With the next ODI World Cup on the horizon in 2027, every bilateral series now feeds into team selection. This tour is a chance to see how Gill manages a side that includes two former captains, how Shreyas Iyer handles the leadership in the back half, and whether younger players like Naman Dhir, Gurnoor Brar and Auqib Nabi can push for regular spots.
It is also a test of depth. With Bumrah not in the ODI squad, India's bowling unit will need to find answers against a New Zealand top order that has looked dangerous on its own pitches.
How to Watch IND vs NZ ODIs Live in India
- Tune in to the Sony Sports Network channels for live TV coverage, with regional-language commentary options.
- If you use DD Free Dish, the matches will be available on DD Sports.
- To stream on mobile, laptop or smart TV, use the SonyLIV app or website.
- Set your alarm: the toss is at 7 am IST and the first ball is at 7:30 am IST for all five games.
What Happens Next
The series opens on Wednesday in Auckland, where India last played in the fourth T20I. After the third ODI in Hamilton, the focus will start shifting to the Test series, with the Basin Reserve Test from November 19. Expect playing XI news and pitch reports from Eden Park on Tuesday.
Comments (0)