India will look to begin the five-match ODI series with a victory as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli return to the 50-over squad alongside captain Shubman Gill.

New Zealand will aim to make the most of their home conditions at Eden Park, where the short boundaries and batting-friendly surface could make chasing a challenging target difficult for India.

India will face New Zealand in the first ODI of the India tour of New Zealand 2026 at Eden Park in Auckland on Wednesday, November 4. The visitors will have experienced campaigners Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli back in the squad, with Shubman Gill leading the side in the opening three matches before Shreyas Iyer takes over. New Zealand, meanwhile, will be keen to use their home advantage and take an early lead in the five-match series.

India head into the contest with strong batting form. Kohli scored an unbeaten 139 against West Indies in his previous ODI series, registering his 55th century in the format, while Rohit accumulated 225 runs. Gill has also been among India’s leading run-scorers this year with 657 runs. New Zealand will rely heavily on Daryl Mitchell and their experienced middle order, with Rachin Ravindra and Mark Chapman unavailable due to injuries.

India have won 63 of their 123 ODI meetings against New Zealand, while the hosts have secured 52 victories. However, New Zealand have won seven of their last 10 ODIs against India. Eden Park has traditionally favoured teams chasing, which could make the toss an important factor. India’s batting depth gives them a slight edge, although their bowling attack will need to deliver without Jasprit Bumrah.

NZ vs IND, 1st ODI: Match Details

• Date and Time: November 4, 3:00 PM Local / 2:00 AM GMT / 7:30 AM IST
• Venue: Eden Park, Auckland

NZ vs IND Head-to-Head Record in ODIs

Matches Played: 123 | India Won: 63 | New Zealand Won: 52 | Tied: 1 | No Result: 7

Eden Park Pitch Report

Eden Park in Auckland is expected to offer a batting-friendly surface for the first ODI between New Zealand and India. The ball generally comes onto the bat nicely, allowing batters to play their shots once they settle at the crease. The short straight boundaries, which measure approximately 55 metres, also make the venue favourable for aggressive strokeplay. Fast bowlers could have an important role with the new ball, as the surface offers bounce and some early movement. Spinners, meanwhile, may find it difficult to extract turn and will need to rely on variations in pace and accuracy.

Chasing could be the preferred option, especially with the possibility of dew during the evening. Teams bowling first have enjoyed greater success at Eden Park, and the relatively short boundaries could make it easier for the chasing side to keep up with the required run rate. While the historical first-innings average is around 222 runs, recent scoring trends suggest that a total of 260 or more could be competitive. Both captains will therefore need to assess the conditions before deciding their approach after the toss.

Squads

New Zealand: Henry Nicholls, Will Young, Tom Latham (wk), Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (c), Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy, Nathan Smith, Matthew Fisher, Blair Tickner, Tim Seifert, Kyle Jamieson

India: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Anshul Kamboj, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Gurnoor Brar, Naman Dhir, Auqib Nabi, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan

NZ vs IND, 1st ODI: Today’s Match Prediction

Case 1:

• IND wins the toss and bowls first
• NZ’s powerplay score: 55-60
• NZ’s total score: 270-280

Case 2:

• NZ wins the toss and bowls first
• IND’s powerplay score: 60-65
• IND’s total score: 280-290