India vs New Zealand 2026 1st ODI Both Teams Best Playing 11
With Shubman Gill returning from injury, explore both teams best predicted playing 11 for India vs New Zealand 2026 1ST ODI match.
It’s almost time for the 1st ODI series of 2026, as India take on New Zealand in a 3-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 to watch for the fans. What’s more, they are also in tremendous form, and that only adds to the excitement of seeing them play together for one more time before they pause for a good 4-5 months.
Historically, Team India and New Zealand have played against each other in 120 ODIs. While Team India have won 62 ODIs, New Zealand have won 50 times. The last time New Zealand played an ODI series in India, they lost the 3-match ODI series 0-3. Even the recently concluded Champions Trophy saw Team India beating New Zealand in the CT 2025 final. So, India clearly starts as the favourites for the ODI series. Also to add, New Zealand are without most of its key players.
The New Zealand series marks the return of Captain Shubman Gill, who had missed the previous ODI series vs Australia due to injury. Aside from Gill, Vice-Captain Shreyas Iyer is also returning from injury, and that means KL Rahul is out of the leadership role. With Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah rested, how about we take a look at the India vs New Zealand 2026 1st ODI best playing 11 for both teams and the official squad list.
Key Match Details
Tour Details: New Zealand Tour of India 2026
Match Details: India vs New Zealand 2026 1st ODI
Where: Vadodara
When: January 11, 1:30 pm IST
The first ODI shall be played at Vadodara, and that means we can expect a run feast at this ground. Rajkot, the counterpart of Vadodara, is known for its flat pitch, and we can expect a similar pitch at this venue with solid fireworks on the cards. This also means both teams will be looking to strengthen their bowling lineup, and rely less on part-timers. There has never been a Men’s ODI played at this venue, so a historic moment for the venue.
India vs New Zealand 2026 Official ODI Squad and Players List
Batters
- Rohit Sharma
- Shubman Gill (c)
- Shreyas Iyer
- Virat Kohli
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
WKs
- KL Rahul
- Rishabh Pant
All-rounders
- Nitish Reddy
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Washington Sundar
Bowlers
- Arshdeep Singh
- Harshit Rana
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Mohammed Siraj
- Prasidh Krishna
If we talk about the batting lineup for the Indian team, the top 5 seems solid, and almost in line with what we have been seeing for the last 3-4 years. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill shall open the batting, with Virat Kohli at the number 3 position. With a settled top order, the middle order also looks set with Shreyas Iyer at 4 and KL Rahul at number 5. This is the same lineup that Team India have been playing for so many years now. This is also a big boost to the confidence of the team, and the trust in their batters.
However, things change after the top 5, given Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel aren’t there. Given Hardik Pandya has been tested, and Axar doesn’t feature in ODIs anymore, we can expect Ravindra Jadeja or Washington Sundar at the number 6 and 7 positions. Sundar and Jadeja are not only competent batters, but are also useful in the bowling. To add to batting depth, we can expect Harshit Rana at the number 8 position. Harshit is slowly turning into a solid bowling All-rounder for the team, and has been making useful contributions with the bat whenever he gets the opportunity.
Bowling lineup
While this batting lineup looks good, it is slightly fragile, given that Sundar and Harshit aren’t the most reliable batters. So, in case India decide to strengthen the batting, we can expect Nitish Rana at the number 7 position to add more depth to the batting. However, as things stand today, India actually trusts Sundar’s barring more than Nitish Reddy. One more case could to see a strong batter like Rishabh Pant donning the finishing duties in place of Sundar.
Coming to the bowling lineup, Arshdeep Singh shall lead the pace department in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, and he should have support from Mohammed Siraj and Harshit Rana. The poor returns of Prasidh Krishna mean Mohammed Siraj should be preferred above him. For the spin department, we should see Kuldeep Yadav as the leading spinner, and he should find support from Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar. So overall, India have a strong playing 11, with a focus more on bowling than batting.
India vs New Zealand 1st ODI Best Playing 11 for the 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 Players List for NZ
Batters
- Henry Nicholls
- Will Young
All-rounders
- Michael Bracewell (C)
- Josh Clarkson
- Nick Kelly
- Daryl Mitchell
- Glenn Phillips
- Zakary Foulkes
- Jayden Lennox
Wicket-keepers
- Devon Conway
- Mitchell Hay
Bowlers
- Adithya Ashok
- Kristian Clarke
- Kyle Jamieson
- Michael Rae
The New Zealand cricket team are likely to field a well-balanced ODI 11 built around stability, power, and seam-bowling depth. Devon Conway, Will Young, and Henry Nicholls provide solidity at the top, while Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips add middle-order muscle and finishing ability. The all-round depth of Michael Bracewell and Josh Clarkson strengthens batting flexibility and spin options. Kyle Jamieson shall lead the pace attack, supported by Zak Foulkes and Aditya Ashok – this XI offers a strong blend of control and wicket-taking threat in all phases. 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 the NZ Team
- Devon Conway (WK)
- Will Young
- 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 playing 11 for India vs New Zealand 2026 1st ODI. Thanks for reading! Looking at the squad of both teams, what’s your best playing 11 for both teams? Please email your thoughts to business@cricalytics.com, or in the comments section below.
