India and New Zealand play each other in the opening ODI of the five-match series on Wednesday, November 4, 2026. The first ODI is being played at Eden Park in Auckland and both teams will be looking to get off to a winning start in this series.
India captain Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to bowl first. The decision was taken because of overcast conditions in Auckland and a chance of rain or a reduction in overs.
India vs New Zealand 1st ODI: Toss Report
India won the toss and elected to field first against New Zealand. Gill said cloudy conditions could affect game but India would be better off chasing a target.
The toss was delayed by 20 minutes and eventually took place at 7:20 AM IST. The match is scheduled to start at 7:40 AM IST.
Both teams have picked four fast bowlers which shows they want to take advantage of the conditions.
India Playing XI
India have made some interesting selection calls for the first ODI. Senior batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are back in the 50-over format while Gill captaincy duties.
Playing XI:
- Shubman Gill (Captain)
- Rohit Sharma
- Virat Kohli
- Shreyas Iyer
- Axar Patel
- KL Rahul (Wicketkeeper)
- Naman Dhir
- Anshul Kamboj
- Auqib Nabi
- Gurnoor Brar
- Arshdeep Singh
Mohammed Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav missed out on the playing XI. India have gone with a pace-heavy bowling combination.
New Zealand Playing XI
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner will lead the home side. Tim Seifert has been included in the playing XI instead of Devon Conway who is recovering from a head injury sustained during training.
Playing XI:
- Tim Seifert
- Will Young
- Henry Nicholls
- Daryl Mitchell
- Tom Latham (Wicketkeeper)
- Glenn Phillips
- Mitchell Santner (Captain)
- Nathan Smith
- Kyle Jamieson
- Jacob Duffy
- Blair Tickner
New Zealand will need their experienced batters (Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham and Glenn Phillips) to build a competitive total.
Eden Park Pitch Report
The Eden Park surface in Auckland is generally considered to be good batting wicket. The pitch provides opportunities for stroke-makers and the shorter boundaries can help batters score boundaries regularly.
Former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull said the pitch was a good batting surface (grass coverage and high scoring game).
He said teams could need 300 runs or more to put their opponents under pressure.
However the conditions might also be helpful to fast bowlers (with new ball in particular). The overcast weather means the opening overs are important for both teams.
What to Expect From the Match?
India will want to use their pace attack to restrict New Zealand before chasing the target. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli returning strengthens Indian batting line up.
New Zealand meanwhile will have the advantage of playing at home and knowing what to expect from Eden Park.
Both sides have four fast bowlers so the opening spells could decide the contest.
The first ODI also offers valuable preparation for both teams ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Cricket fans will be treated to an exciting contest when India and New Zealand play the first five-match ODI series in Auckland.
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