India Set for Historic 2026 Tour of New Zealand: Complete Match Schedule Announced

India's cricket team is gearing up for an extensive tour of New Zealand in 2026, marking the first all-format visit since the 2019/20 season. This ambitious tour, which features a total of 12 matches, will be the largest inbound series ever hosted by New Zealand Cricket.

The tour is set to commence on October 22, beginning with a series of five T20 Internationals at Hagley Oval in Christchurch. The T20 matches will also take place in Wellington, Auckland, and Hamilton. Following the T20I leg, a five-match ODI series will kick off on November 4, with games scheduled across various venues, including Eden Park in Auckland and Bay Oval in Tauranga. The tour will conclude with two Test matches, the first at Cello Basin Reserve in Wellington from November 19 to 23, and the second at Hagley Oval from November 27 to December 1.

This tour is notable as it marks only the third time India has visited New Zealand to play all three formats, with previous tours occurring in 2008/09 and 2019/20. The last encounter between the teams in T20 cricket was in the final of the T20 World Cup earlier this year, while New Zealand's recent visit to India in early 2026 saw them secure a 2-1 victory in ODIs, although they struggled in the T20Is, losing 4-1.

Veteran players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who have stepped away from Test and T20 formats but remain active in ODIs, may use this five-match series to showcase their skills ahead of the 2027 World Cup. However, their spots in the World Cup squad have not been guaranteed, as neither head coach Gautam Gambhir nor chief selector Ajit Agarkar has made any commitments, despite the players' strong performances during the previous ODI season.

Below is the complete schedule for the India versus New Zealand series in 2026:

IND vs NZ T20I Schedule:
- October 22: 1st T20I, Hagley Oval, Christchurch, 8:00 PM NZT
- October 24: 2nd T20I, Hagley Oval, Christchurch, 8:00 PM NZT
- October 27: 3rd T20I, Hnry Stadium, Wellington, 8:00 PM NZT
- October 30: 4th T20I, Eden Park, Auckland, 8:00 PM NZT
- November 1: 5th T20I, Seddon Park, Hamilton, 8:00 PM NZT

IND vs NZ ODI Schedule:
- November 4: 1st ODI, Eden Park, Auckland, 3:00 PM NZT
- November 7: 2nd ODI, Hnry Stadium, Wellington, 3:00 PM NZT
- November 10: 3rd ODI, Seddon Park, Hamilton, 3:00 PM NZT
- November 13: 4th ODI, Bay Oval, Tauranga, 3:00 PM NZT
- November 15: 5th ODI, Bay Oval, Tauranga, 3:00 PM NZT

IND vs NZ Test Schedule:
- November 19-23: 1st Test, Cello Basin Reserve, Wellington, 11:00 AM NZT
- November 27-December 1: 2nd Test, Hagley Oval, Christchurch, 11:00 AM NZT

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