The first one-day match between India and Sri Lanka is scheduled for December 13, 2026. This match was originally supposed to take place in Delhi, but the decision was made to move the game to Visakhapatnam, at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium.
The change of venue was made at the request of the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA).
The first ODI match between India and New Zealand will take place at Eden Park Stadium in Auckland. The match is scheduled for 7:30 AM, with the toss taking place half an hour prior. To receive updates and live scores, it is recommended to refresh the page regularly.
Previously, on this same ground, the New Zealand team scored 259 runs in a T20 match, creating expectations of a high score in the ODI as well. Nevertheless, historical data from Eden Park suggests otherwise: the highest score in an ODI played at this venue was achieved in 2007, totaling 340 runs. Furthermore, in the last two ODIs played in Auckland, the teams batting in the evening were bowled out for 150 and 76 runs, respectively. Therefore, it will be interesting to observe whether the batsmen's attack or the bowlers will prevail.
Both teams previously met in the semi-finals of the last World Cup ODI, where India defeated New Zealand. However, in the previous two-match ODI series between these two nations, New Zealand won.
Before the first ODI, New Zealand suffered a serious setback: Devon Conway sustained an injury during training after colliding with Matt Henry and was excluded from the first ODI due to a concussion. Matt Henry's participation is also undecided. New Zealand is already playing without Mark Chapman and Rachin Ravindra, and with Conway absent, Tim Seifert might get a chance. However, Henry's team may include Nicholas in the starting lineup.
Shreyas Iyer might return to the Indian team. He is expected to replace Ritardh Gaikwad at the fourth position. Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya will not be able to participate in this series. Consequently, Nitish Kumar Reddy has a good opportunity to showcase his bowling skills.
Axar Patel's return is also possible. Due to the characteristics of Eden Park's outfield, Kuldeep Yadav might find it difficult to secure a spot in the starting eleven. India could field three all-rounders.
The potential New Zealand squad includes: Will Young, Tim Seifert/Henry Nicholls, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Tom Latham (wicketkeeper), Michael Bresshaw, Mitchell Santner (captain), Nathan Smith, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry/Blair Tickner, Jakeba Dafie.
The projected India squad: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Naman Diara, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Guruonur Barada, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh.
It is expected that the Eden Park pitch will differ from the pitch used in T20 matches. This time, a better balance between batsmen and bowlers can be expected. Good bounce is usually observed here. Glenn Phillips noted that after Perth, this could become one of the highest-bouncing pitches in the world. The weather forecast is also favorable, and rain is unlikely to affect the game.
Rohit Sharma has never scored an ODI century in New Zealand. In 13 matches here, he has averaged 36.41 and had a strike rate of 72.95. On the other hand, Shubman Gill is the top run-scorer in ODI cricket this year. He has scored 895 runs in 11 matches in 2026. His average stands at 111.87, and his strike rate is 118.7.
This series also holds great importance for preparation for the 2027 ODI World Cup. India will have the opportunity to assess the current form of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Meanwhile, New Zealand will want to test how it can counter India's aggressive style of play in major tournament playoffs.
Total matches: 123. New Zealand wins: 52. India wins: 63. Draws: 1. Ties: 7.
The ODI squad for the first three matches of the New Zealand team includes: Mitchell Santner (captain), Michael Bresshaw, Devon Conway, Jakeba Dafie, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham (wicketkeeper), Tim Seifert (wicketkeeper), Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Nathan Smith, Will Young, Blair Tickner, and Henry Nicholls.
For the last two ODIs, the New Zealand squad is: Mitchell Santner (captain), Finn Allen, Michael Bresshaw, Christian Clark, Jakeba Dafie, Matt Fisher, Loki Ferguson, Mitch He (wicketkeeper), Nick Kelly, Tim Seifert (wicketkeeper), Blair Tickner, Will Young, and Dean Fockstraff.
The updated ODI squad for the first three matches of the Indian team: Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Axar Patel, Naman Diir, Anshul Kamboj, Guruonur Barar, Ritardh Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, and Nitish Kumar Reddy (only first ODI), Akib Nabi.
The updated squad for the fourth and fifth ODIs: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Tilak Verma, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper and vice-captain), Axar Patel, Naman Diir, Akib Nabi, Guruonur Barar, Ritardh Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Kumar Kushagra (wicketkeeper), Mohammed Siraj, Yash Thakur, and Kuldeep Yadav.
Full schedule of the India-New Zealand ODI series: all five matches will be played in day-night format. All matches will start at 7:30 AM Indian time and 2 PM New Zealand time.
A five-match One Day International series between India and New Zealand will begin on Wednesday, November 4th. The first match will take place at Eden Park in Auckland, with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli being the main figures of this tour. This tour is considered the last visit of these two stars to the country.
The main problem for the Indian team is the weak attacking potential in the sprint bowling. The first ODI is scheduled for 7:30 AM Indian time. Jasprit Bumrah has been reserved for the A series matches, while Prasidh Krishna and Harshit Rana may only return to international cricket in a few weeks. Consequently, Mohammad Siraj will bear additional responsibility.
Four other fast bowlers—Arshdeep Singh, Gurnor Barah, Anshul Kamboj, and Akib Nabi—collectively have only 29 ODI matches. Arshdeep has played 18, Gurnor 9, and Anshul and Akib have played one ODI each.
India will not enter this series at full strength, as the fifth ODI concludes on November 15th, and the first Test against New Zealand begins on November 19th in Wellington. Because of this, captain Shubman Gill will not participate in the last two matches to prepare for the Test series.
Gill noted that if there were enough time between the ODI and Test series, all five matches could be played. However, due to the short gap, managing player workload is crucial. He emphasized that both formats are important, but some players selected for the Tests must be absent from the last two ODIs.
The situation in the World Test Championship (WTC) race has become complicated after South Africa defeated Australia in the Test series, changing the standings. India, currently in fourth place, must win at least six of the remaining seven matches, and also depend on the results of other teams.
Gill commented that the series between Australia and South Africa was very good and balanced, which made the points table interesting. India hopes to maintain its chances of reaching the final by achieving good results in the Test series in New Zealand, and then in home matches against Australia.
The top order of the Indian ODI team is practically determined: Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill will open the innings. They will be followed by Virat Kohli and vice-captain Shreyas Iyer at the fourth position. KL Rahul will play at the fifth position as a batsman and wicketkeeper. Axle Patel and Nitish Kumar Reddy might be used at the sixth and seventh positions, although Nitish is only available for the first ODI.
In the absence of Harshit Rana, the coaching staff may consider including Anshul Kamboj at the eighth position. Kamboj's ability to score big runs in attack could also benefit the team. Regarding bowling, the small boundary at Eden Park will be a serious test for the Indian bowlers. India might field three fast bowlers—Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, and Gurnor Barah.
Despite Kuldeep Yadav being in the squad, his place in the starting XI is not guaranteed. In the current squad, he is the best bowler in terms of wickets taken in 201 ODIs. However, in the absence of Hardik Pandya, the team structure might be built against him.
Nevertheless, considering the upcoming World Cup, the importance of a bowler capable of taking wickets in the middle of the innings increases. Only four fielders are allowed outside the 30-yard circle between the 11th and 40th overs in an ODI. Under such conditions, the role of an aggressive spinner like Kuldeep can become critically important. Gill agreed that taking wickets in the middle of the innings is extremely necessary. He noted that due to the small straight boundary at Eden Park, it is difficult to say how many overs will be given to spinners. Nevertheless, considering the World Cup, the team needs the ability to take wickets in the middle of the innings, whether it is a spinner or a fast bowler. In his opinion, if wickets are not taken during this period, the match can get out of control, which has previously been a problem for the Indian team.
Air pollution in Delhi has begun to affect cricket. The first ODI match of the series between India and Sri Lanka, scheduled for December 13, will no longer take place in the capital city. The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) has approached the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) requesting that this match be held outside of Delhi.
According to sources, DDCA sent an official letter to BCCI expressing its inability to host the match on the scheduled date. Several factors were cited as reasons, but the primary issue is the level of pollution in Delhi. Furthermore, renovation work is ongoing at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
A DDCA source told Cricbuzz that while the renovations are important, the priority is holding the match elsewhere due to the AQI reading in Delhi. DDCA believes that the air quality in the capital in December could pose problems for the players. Last year, the average Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi in December was 351, and on Monday (November 2), the pollution level remained similar, so DDCA does not wish to take any risks.
The experience of the 2017 match also caused concern for DDCA. During a Test match between India and Sri Lanka in Delhi in December 2017, Sri Lankan players were observed vomiting due to pollution. DDCA representatives do not want a repeat of this situation and also asked BCCI to postpone this match to another date next year.
The first match of the three-match ODI series between India and Sri Lanka was supposed to take place in Delhi on December 13. The second match was scheduled for December 16 in Bangalore, and the third for December 19 in Ahmedabad. If the match is cancelled in Delhi, BCCI may be forced to change the schedule of the entire series.
Interestingly, BCCI had previously denied rumors about the postponement of the match from Delhi. The council's secretary, Devadjit Saikia, clearly stated on October 12 that reports of the India-Sri Lanka match being moved to Ahmedabad were untrue. He emphasized that BCCI had not made such a decision, and bilateral matches are conducted within established policy. Nevertheless, DDCA itself has now demanded that the match be held elsewhere, narrowing the options for BCCI beyond moving it from Delhi. An official announcement regarding a new venue has not yet been made.
