India Tour of New Zealand 2026: Full Schedule of 12 Matches, the T20I Squad, IST Timings and What to Expect
Five T20Is, five ODIs and two Tests between October 22 and December 1. Here are the dates, venues and squads, and why this tour matters after India's home defeat to New Zealand in 2024.
Right after the West Indies series, India pack their bags for one of cricket's toughest away trips. The India tour of New Zealand 2026 runs from October 22 to December 1, with 12 international matches across all three formats.
Here is everything you need: the schedule, the squads, timings in India and the storylines to follow.
Quick answer
- Dates: October 22 to December 1, 2026.
- Matches: 5 T20Is, 5 ODIs and 2 Tests.
- T20I captain: Shreyas Iyer, with Tilak Varma as vice-captain.
- Returns: fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar and spinner Varun Chakaravarthy.
- ODI and Test squads: still to be announced by the BCCI.
- Timings: T20Is are widely listed at about 1:30 pm IST, but check closer to the date.
Full schedule
T20I series
- 1st T20I: Thursday, October 22, Hagley Oval, Christchurch
- 2nd T20I: Saturday, October 24, Christchurch
- 3rd T20I: Tuesday, October 27, Wellington
- 4th T20I: Friday, October 30, Eden Park, Auckland
- 5th T20I: Sunday, November 1, Seddon Park, Hamilton
ODI series (as listed by ESPNcricinfo)
- 1st ODI: Wednesday, November 4, Auckland
- 2nd ODI: Saturday, November 7, Wellington
- 3rd ODI: Tuesday, November 10, Hamilton
- 4th ODI: Friday, November 13, Mount Maunganui
- 5th ODI: Sunday, November 15, Mount Maunganui
Test series
- 1st Test: November 19 to 23, Basin Reserve, Wellington
- 2nd Test: November 27 to December 1, Hagley Oval, Christchurch
Note that the 2nd ODI falls the day before Diwali (November 8), so Indian fans will be celebrating early.
Timings for Indian fans
New Zealand is about 7.5 hours ahead of India during its summer daylight-saving time. That means:
- Day matches in New Zealand start in the early morning or around breakfast time in India.
- Day-night games usually start around noon to 1:30 pm IST.
- Test matches typically begin at about 3:30 am to 4 am IST, so set an alarm.
Sources differ slightly on exact start times, so confirm on the BCCI or New Zealand Cricket website a day before each match.
India's T20I squad
The BCCI announced the squad on October 6:
Shreyas Iyer (captain), Tilak Varma (vice-captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Naman Dhir, Prince Yadav, Mayank Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Varun Chakaravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav.
Bhuvneshwar's swing could be valuable in New Zealand's conditions, where the new ball often moves early. Varun Chakaravarthy returns from injury.
India A in New Zealand
An India A side led by wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel will play three multi-day matches against New Zealand A in Lincoln and Christchurch. It includes Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudarsan, Devdutt Padikkal and Rishabh Pant, subject to fitness. Strong performances here could earn places in the Test squad.
Storylines to watch
1. Redemption in Tests. New Zealand beat India 3-0 at home in 2024, a shock that still hurts. Beating them in their own conditions would be a big statement.
2. Batting in seaming conditions. Green pitches, wind in Wellington and swing in Christchurch will test India's batters far more than the flat tracks of the West Indies series.
3. Young T20 core. Players such as Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma and teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will face quality pace and swing.
4. ODI and Test captaincy. The BCCI is yet to name these squads, and reports differ on the leadership. Watch for the announcement in late October.
5. New Zealand's strengths. Under T20I captain Mitchell Santner, New Zealand are a disciplined side, very strong at home.
Travelling to watch the matches
Thousands of Indian fans live in New Zealand, and many more travel for big series. If you plan to go:
- Apply for a visa early. Indian passport holders need a New Zealand visitor visa; processing can take several weeks, so apply well before the match dates.
- Book tickets through New Zealand Cricket's official ticketing partners only.
- Pack layers. Late spring in New Zealand can be cool and windy, especially in Wellington and Christchurch, and the sun is strong, so carry sunscreen.
- Plan domestic travel. Venues are spread across both islands; flights between cities sell out around weekend matches.
Where to watch
Broadcast details for India are usually confirmed by the rights holders closer to the series. Check the BCCI website and official channels for TV and streaming information, and avoid unofficial streaming links, which often carry malware and scams.
Related reading
Sources
This article draws on the following reporting. Dates are when each source was originally published.
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