It’s almost time for the first ODI series of 2026, with India taking on New Zealand in a three-match ODI series. ODI is the only format where we see our beloved Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the Indian team and their return to the stage is always a treat for the fans to watch. Moreover, they are also in great form, which only makes it more exciting to see them play together again before they take a break of more than four to five months.
Historically, Team India and New Zealand have played each other in 120 ODIs. While Team India has won 62 ODIs, New Zealand has won 50 times. The last time New Zealand played an ODI series in India, they lost the three-match ODI series 0-3. Even in the recently concluded Champions Trophy, Team India defeated New Zealand in the final of CT 2025. So, India clearly start as the favorites for the ODI series. To add, New Zealand is without most of its key players.
The New Zealand series marks the return of Captain Shubman Gill, who had missed the previous ODI series against Australia due to injury. Besides Gill, vice-captain Shreyas Iyer is also returning from injury, meaning KL Rahul will no longer fill the leadership role. Now that Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah are rested, let’s take a look at the India vs New Zealand 1st ODI 2026 with the top 11 for both teams and the official squad list.
Key MAttach details
Tour details: Tour of India through New Zealand 2026
Competition details: India vs New Zealand 2026 1st ODI
Where: They’re gone
When: January 11, 1:30 PM IST
The first ODI will be played in Vadodara, which means we can expect a runfest here. Rajkot, Vadodara’s counterpart, is known for its flat field, and we can expect a similar field at this location with some solid fireworks on the menu. This also means that both teams will be looking to strengthen their bowling line-ups and rely less on part-timers. A Men’s ODI has never been played at this location, so it is a historic moment for the location.
India vs New Zealand 2026 Official ODI Squad and Player List
Batters
- Rohit Sharma
- Shubman Gill (c)
- Shreyas Iyer
- Virat Kohli
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
World Cups
All-rounders
- Nitish Reddy
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Washington Sundar
Bowlers
- Arshdeep Singh
- Harshit Rana
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Mohammed Siraj
- Prasidh Krishna
When we talk about the batting line-up for the Indian team, the top 5 seems solid and almost in line with what we have seen in the last 3-4 years. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill will open the batting, with Virat Kohli at number 3. With a fixed top position, the middle position also seems to be fixed with Shreyas Iyer at 4 and KL Rahul at number 5. This is the same lineup that Team India has been playing in for so many years now. This is also a big boost to the team’s confidence and trust in their hitters.
However, after the top five, things change as Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel are no more. Since Hardik Pandya has been tested and Axar is out of the ODIs, we can expect Ravindra Jadeja or Washington Sundar at number 6 and 7. Sundar and Jadeja are not only skilled batsmen but are also useful in bowling. To increase the batting depth, we can expect Harshit Rana at number 8. Harshit is slowly turning into a solid bowling all-rounder for the team and makes useful contributions with the bat whenever he gets a chance.
Bowling setup
While this batting line-up looks good, it is somewhat fragile as Sundar and Harshit are not the most reliable batsmen. So if India decides to strengthen the batting, we can expect Nitish Rana to add more depth to the batting at the number 7 position. But as things stand, India actually relies more on Sundar’s blocking than Nitish Reddy. In one more case, a strong batsman like Rishabh Pant could take up the final duties in place of Sundar.
Arshdeep Singh comes into the bowling line-up and will lead the pace department in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, and he should get support from Mohammed Siraj and Harshit Rana. Prasidh Krishna’s poor returns mean Mohammed Siraj is preferred over him. For the spin department, we should see Kuldeep Yadav as the leading spinner, and he should get support from Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar. So overall, India have a strong player, with an emphasis more on bowling than batting.
India vs New Zealand 1st ODI Best Playing 11 for Indian team
- Rohit Sharma
- Shubman Gill (C)
- Virat Kohli
- Shreyas Iyer
- KL Rahul(WK)
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Washington Sundar
- Harshit Rana
- Arshdeep Singh
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Mohammed Siraj
India vs New Zealand 2026 Official ODI Squad and Player List for NZ
Batters
- Henry Nicholls
- Will Jong
All-rounders
- Michael Bracewell (C)
- Josh Clarkson
- Nick Kelly
- Daryl Mitchell
- Glenn Phillips
- Zakary Foulkes
- Jayden Lennox
Wicketkeepers
- Devon Conway
- Mitchell Hay
Bowlers
- Adithya Ashok
- Kristian Clarke
- Kyle Jamieson
- Michael Rae
The New Zealand cricket team is likely to field a balanced ODI 11, built around stability, power and depth of bowling. Devon Conway, Will Young and Henry Nicholls provide solidity up top, while Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips add intermediate muscle and finishing ability. The all-round depth of Michael Bracewell and Josh Clarkson enhances the hitting flexibility and spin options. Kyle Jamieson will lead the pace attack, supported by Zak Foulkes and Aditya Ashok – this XI offers a strong mix of control and wicket-taking threat at all stages. However, the team is missing many big names like Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson, etc.
India vs New Zealand 1st ODI Best Playing 11 for NZ team
- Devon Conway (World Cup)
- Will Jong
- Henry Nicholls
- Daryl Mitchell
- Glenn Phillips
- Michael Bracewell (C)
- Zak Foulkes
- Josh Clarkson
- Jayden Lennox
- Kyle Jamieson
- Aditya Ashok
So that’s about the best predicted matchday 11 for India vs New Zealand 2026 1st ODI. Thanks for reading! Looking at the roster of both teams, what is your best XI for both teams? Send your thoughts by email to business@cricalytics.com, or in the comments below.
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