India and New Zealand Set for Five-Match ODI Series Opener
The two teams meet at Eden Park in Auckland following a closely contested T20 series last month.
India and New Zealand are preparing to face off in a five-match One Day International series, beginning with the opening fixture at Eden Park in Auckland. The series opener is scheduled to start on Wednesday, November 4, at 3:00 p.m. local time, which translates to Tuesday, November 3, at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The visitors enter the 50-over matches looking to maintain momentum after capturing the recent T20I series with a 3-2 victory.
New Zealand enters the home series aiming to bounce back from that T20 defeat, though the team will be missing senior batters Mark Chapman and Rachin Ravindra. Mitchell Santner will lead the New Zealand squad, which has named split squads for the fixtures. Meanwhile, the visiting Indian side features the return of experienced campaigners Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. World No. 1 ODI batter Shubman Gill will captain India for the first three games, while Shreyas Iyer takes over the captaincy for the final two matches.
The historical context favors the hosts as India seeks to secure its first ODI victory in New Zealand since February 2019. Across 45 prior ODIs played in New Zealand, India has won 14 and lost 26, with one tie and four washouts. During their most recent ODI tour in November 2022, India lost the opening match in Auckland, while the subsequent two games concluded without a result due to rain. Furthermore, New Zealand won the most recent ODI series between the two nations by a 2-1 margin in India back in January.
Looking back at historical performances, India holds the record for the highest team total in New Zealand with 392 for four in Christchurch in March 2009, a match that resulted in a 58-run triumph. On the other end of the spectrum, India's lowest total in the country is 92, recorded in Hamilton in January 2019. New Zealand's lowest home total against India stands at 142, which occurred in Auckland in March 1994.
Individual milestones also highlight the rivalry. Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for the highest individual score in these encounters with an unbeaten 163 in Christchurch in 2009, whereas Tom Latham notched New Zealand's best home mark with 145 not out in Auckland in 2022. In the bowling department, Trent Boult recorded the best figures with 5 for 21 in Hamilton in 2019, while Anil Kumble holds the record for the best return by an Indian bowler in New Zealand with 5 for 33 in Wellington in 1994.
Career statistics show Virat Kohli leading all run-scorers in ODIs between the two nations with 1,897 runs at an average of 57.48, needing just 103 more runs to reach the 2,000 threshold against New Zealand. Rohit Sharma stands seventh with 1,134 runs. Among bowlers, Javagal Srinath leads the all-time wicket-takers list with 51 dismissals, while Kuldeep Yadav serves as the leading active bowler in either squad with 27 wickets in 16 matches.
Cricket fans in the United States and Canada can watch the matches live exclusively on Willow TV. The cable channel is also available through Fubo for cord-cutters, with streaming options that include on-demand replays and highlights across compatible devices. Fubo Canada serves as the broadcasting home for cricket fans in the region, while Fubo in the United States provides expanded sports packages.