India tour of New Zealand 2026: series overview
India's 2026 tour of New Zealand is their first all-format tour of the country in more than six years, and the biggest by number of matches. Across six weeks, India play five T20Is, five ODIs and two Tests at six venues in Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland, Hamilton and Mount Maunganui.
The ODI leg was expanded from three to five matches as both teams build towards the 2027 ODI World Cup, and the two Tests count towards the ICC World Test Championship 2025–27, where India are looking to climb the table.
IND vs NZ 2026 full schedule and match timings (IST)
| Match | Date (NZ) | IST | NZ time | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T20I 1st T20I | Thu 22 Oct | 12:30 PM | 8:00 PM | Hagley Oval, Christchurch |
| T20I 2nd T20I | Sat 24 Oct | 12:30 PM | 8:00 PM | Hagley Oval, Christchurch |
| T20I 3rd T20I | Tue 27 Oct | 12:30 PM | 8:00 PM | Wellington Regional Stadium (Hnry Stadium), Wellington |
| T20I 4th T20I | Fri 30 Oct | 12:30 PM | 8:00 PM | Eden Park, Auckland |
| T20I 5th T20I | Sun 1 Nov | 12:30 PM | 8:00 PM | Seddon Park, Hamilton |
| ODI 1st ODI | Wed 4 Nov | 7:30 AM | 3:00 PM | Eden Park, Auckland |
| ODI 2nd ODI | Sat 7 Nov | 7:30 AM | 3:00 PM | Wellington Regional Stadium (Hnry Stadium), Wellington |
| ODI 3rd ODI | Tue 10 Nov | 7:30 AM | 3:00 PM | Seddon Park, Hamilton |
| ODI 4th ODI | Fri 13 Nov | 7:30 AM | 3:00 PM | Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui (Tauranga) |
| ODI 5th ODI | Sun 15 Nov | 7:30 AM | 3:00 PM | Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui (Tauranga) |
| Test 1st Test | 19–23 Nov | 3:30 AM | 11:00 AM | Basin Reserve, Wellington |
| Test 2nd Test | 27 Nov – 1 Dec | 3:30 AM | 11:00 AM | Hagley Oval, Christchurch |
IND vs NZ T20I series preview (22 Oct – 1 Nov)
Shreyas Iyer leads a young, aggressive Indian T20I side, with Tilak Varma as vice-captain. The batting is built around explosive openers such as Abhishek Sharma and teenage star Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, with Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan as keeper-batter options. Jasprit Bumrah has been rested, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar returns to the T20I side after more than four years, giving India a proven swing bowler for New Zealand conditions.
New Zealand, led by Mitchell Santner, have a pace-heavy squad with Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Adam Milne and Jacob Duffy, plus power hitters Finn Allen, Glenn Phillips and Tim Seifert. Rachin Ravindra misses the T20Is with a shoulder injury but is targeting a return for the ODIs.
1st T20I preview: NZ vs IND, Hagley Oval, Christchurch (22 Oct)
Time: 8:00 PM local / 12:30 PM IST. Evening matches in Christchurch in late October can be cool, and the new ball can swing under lights. Expect New Zealand to test India's openers with pace and bounce early, while India's spinners, Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy, will look to control the middle overs.
Key battles: Abhishek Sharma vs Matt Henry with the new ball; Finn Allen vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the powerplay; Daryl Mitchell vs Kuldeep Yadav in the middle overs.
Fantasy cricket picks: Captain options: Abhishek Sharma, Glenn Phillips, Shreyas Iyer. Vice-captain options: Mitchell Santner, Axar Patel, Lockie Ferguson. Differentials: Bevon Jacobs, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Prince Yadav. Always check the confirmed playing XI after the toss.
IND vs NZ ODI series preview (4–15 Nov)
India have named two ODI squads. Shubman Gill captains the first three ODIs with Shreyas Iyer as his deputy, and Iyer takes over for the last two at Bay Oval. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are in both squads, and Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh lead the pace attack.
New Zealand have also split their ODI squad. The first three matches feature experienced names such as Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchell, Rachin Ravindra and Matt Henry. The last two have a fresher look, with players such as Kristian Clarke, Nick Kelly and Mitch Hay.
All ODIs are day-night games starting at 7:30 AM IST. Eden Park's short straight boundaries and Bay Oval's flat surface point towards high scores, while Wellington's wind and big boundaries could keep totals lower.
IND vs NZ Test series preview (19 Nov – 1 Dec)
The series finishes with two World Test Championship Tests at two of New Zealand's most seam-friendly venues: the Basin Reserve in Wellington and Hagley Oval in Christchurch. Shubman Gill captains India, with KL Rahul as vice-captain. Jasprit Bumrah returns to lead an attack including Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep and Anshul Kamboj, while Rishabh Pant is subject to fitness clearance.
New Zealand's Test squad is yet to be announced. India lost both Tests on their last Test tour of New Zealand in 2020, so handling the moving ball and the Wellington wind will be key. Read our guide on how to read a pitch report to see why green pitches change the game.
India and New Zealand squads
India T20I squad
Shreyas Iyer (c), Tilak Varma (vc), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Naman Dhir, Arshdeep Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mayank Yadav, Prince Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav
New Zealand T20I squad
Mitchell Santner (c), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Bevon Jacobs, Kyle Jamieson, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Tim Seifert (wk), Nathan Smith
India ODI squad (1st–3rd ODI)
Shubman Gill (c), Shreyas Iyer (vc), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Gurnoor Brar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna*, Kuldeep Yadav
India ODI squad (4th–5th ODI)
Shreyas Iyer (c), Ishan Kishan (vc, wk), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Kumar Kushagra (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Auqib Nabi, Gurnoor Brar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Yash Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav
New Zealand ODI squad (1st–3rd ODI)
Mitchell 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, Will Young, Blair Tickner
New Zealand ODI squad (4th–5th ODI)
Mitchell Santner (c), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Kristian Clarke, Jacob Duffy, Matt Fisher, Lockie Ferguson, Mitch Hay (wk), Nick Kelly, Tim Seifert (wk), Blair Tickner, Will Young
India Test squad
Shubman Gill (c), KL Rahul (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal, Sai Sudharsan, Rishabh Pant (wk)*, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Anshul Kamboj
New Zealand Test squad
To be announced. We will update this section as soon as New Zealand Cricket names the squad.
India vs New Zealand head-to-head and history
New Zealand have historically been one of India's toughest opponents, especially at home. On India's last all-format tour in early 2020, India swept the T20Is 5–0, but New Zealand won the ODIs 3–0 and the Tests 2–0. New Zealand also beat India in the 2021 World Test Championship final in Southampton. India made a short white-ball trip to New Zealand in late 2022, but this is their first full tour since 2020.
IND vs NZ 2026 venues and pitch reports
| Venue | City | Pitch at a glance |
|---|---|---|
| Hagley Oval | Christchurch | Seam and swing early; good for batting once set |
| Wellington Regional Stadium (Hnry Stadium) | Wellington | Big boundaries; wind affects bowling |
| Eden Park | Auckland | Very high-scoring; short straight boundaries |
| Seddon Park | Hamilton | Good batting; small boundaries |
| Bay Oval | Mount Maunganui (Tauranga) | Flat and high-scoring |
| Basin Reserve | Wellington | Seam-friendly early; wind is a big factor |
Hagley Oval, Christchurch pitch report
A picturesque ground in Christchurch's Hagley Park. In Tests, the pitch usually has a green tinge that helps seam and swing, especially on the first day. In T20Is, it is a good batting surface with a fast outfield. Evening games in late October can be cool, and the new ball can swing under lights.
Wellington Regional Stadium (Hnry Stadium), Wellington pitch report
Wellington's large multi-sport stadium, known as the 'Cake Tin'. Its square boundaries are big, and the famous Wellington wind can make life hard for bowlers running into it. White-ball totals here tend to be lower than at Eden Park.
Eden Park, Auckland pitch report
Eden Park is famous for its unusually short straight boundaries, because the ground is shaped for rugby. That makes it one of the highest-scoring T20 venues in the world. Bowlers have to aim for the longer square boundaries and avoid length balls in the slot.
Seddon Park, Hamilton pitch report
A compact ground with a true pitch, Seddon Park usually produces good batting conditions in white-ball cricket. Seamers who hit the deck can get some bounce, and the small boundaries reward power hitting.
Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui (Tauranga) pitch report
A coastal ground near the beach at Mount Maunganui. Bay Oval is generally a flat, high-scoring venue in white-ball cricket, and the sea breeze can help swing bowlers early in the innings.
Basin Reserve, Wellington pitch report
One of the most historic Test grounds in the world. The Basin Reserve is known for its strong winds and a pitch that often helps seam bowlers, especially early. Batting usually gets easier as the surface flattens out, and bowlers have to adjust to bowling with or into the wind.
Where to watch India vs New Zealand 2026 live in India
In India, the series is broadcast on the Sony Sports Network TV channels and streamed live on SonyLIV. In New Zealand, Sky Sport NZ has the rights.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the India tour of New Zealand 2026 schedule?
India play 12 matches in New Zealand: five T20Is (22 Oct – 1 Nov), five ODIs (4–15 Nov) and two Tests in Wellington (19–23 Nov) and Christchurch (27 Nov – 1 Dec).
What time do IND vs NZ T20I matches start in India?
All five T20Is start at 8:00 PM New Zealand time, which is 12:30 PM IST.
What time do IND vs NZ ODI matches start in India?
All five ODIs are day-night games starting at 3:00 PM New Zealand time, which is 7:30 AM IST.
What time do the IND vs NZ Test matches start in India?
Both Tests start at 11:00 AM New Zealand time, which is 3:30 AM IST.
Where can I watch India vs New Zealand 2026 live in India?
The series is shown on the Sony Sports Network TV channels, with live streaming on SonyLIV.
Who is India's captain for the New Zealand tour?
Shreyas Iyer captains India in the T20Is and in the last two ODIs. Shubman Gill captains India in the first three ODIs and the Tests.
Who is New Zealand's captain against India?
Mitchell Santner captains New Zealand in the T20Is and ODIs. The New Zealand Test squad is yet to be announced.
Are the IND vs NZ Tests part of the World Test Championship?
Yes. The two Tests in Wellington and Christchurch are part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025–27.
When did India last tour New Zealand for all three formats?
India last played all three formats in New Zealand in early 2020. India won the T20Is 5–0, and New Zealand won the ODIs 3–0 and the Tests 2–0.