India and New Zealand begin their five-match ODI series at Eden Park, Auckland, on Wednesday, 4 November 2026. The scheduled start is 7:30 AM IST, or 3:00 PM local time. Following India's 3-2 T20I series victory, the focus shifts to longer innings, bowling workloads and preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
India vs New Zealand 1st ODI: Match Details
Date: Wednesday, 4 November 2026
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Scheduled start: 7:30 AM IST / 3:00 PM NZDT / 02:00 UTC
Series: First of five ODIs
Status: Pre-match preview; toss and playing XIs awaited
Conway Ruled Out After Training Collision
New Zealand Cricket confirmed on 3 November that Devon Conway and Matt Henry collided while attempting a catch at training. Both underwent head injury assessments. Further examination confirmed Conway had concussion, ruling him out of the opening ODI.
NZC said both players would remain under observation, with their involvement in the series to be updated. Henry should therefore not be treated as a confirmed starter. Reuters reported that captain Mitchell Santner identified Tim Seifert as Conway's replacement.
New Zealand also have to cope without Rachin Ravindra and Mark Chapman, whose shoulder and hamstring injuries respectively have kept them out of the ODI series.
Rohit and Kohli Return; Gill Leads India
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are in India's updated ODI squad, with Shubman Gill captain and Shreyas Iyer vice-captain for the first three matches. Their return gives the batting group a different shape from the T20I side.
BCCI has added Auqib Nabi to the opening three ODIs after initially selecting him only for the final two. Nitish Kumar Reddy is available for the first ODI only. The selection announcement lists KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan as wicketkeeping options.
India's Updated Squad for the First Three ODIs
Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), KL Rahul, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Gurnoor Brar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Ishan Kishan, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Nitish Kumar Reddy (first ODI only) and Auqib Nabi.
Three Questions Before the Auckland Opener
- How will New Zealand rebuild their top order? Conway's absence adds another change to a batting group already affected by injuries. Seifert's role and the balance around the experienced middle order will be worth watching.
- Which combination will India choose? The squad offers several batting and seam options. The final balance between specialists and players who contribute in both disciplines will be clear at the toss.
- Can the teams control the middle overs? CricXZ's view is that the format change rewards sustained partnerships and wicket-taking spells, rather than relying on the short bursts that shaped the T20Is. How each side manages that transition could decide the opening contest.
Playing XI and Match-Day Updates
No playing XI is presented here as confirmed. Team selection, Henry's availability and any further medical updates should be checked against official announcements on match day. This article is a preview, not a live score or result report.
Read how the T20I series ended in Hamilton, or explore our Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer profiles.
Sources and Verification
- BCCI: first ODI fixture, venue and UTC start time
- BCCI: updated India squad, 31 October
- NZC: Conway and Henry training incident update, 3 November
- Reuters: Seifert replacement, injuries and series context, 3 November
Information checked on 3 November 2026. Scheduled times are subject to official changes. The three preview questions above are CricXZ editorial analysis.