India cricket team's tour of New Zealand 2026 announced: India to play biggest-ever bilateral cricket series in New Zealand, Rohit-Virat in action

India cricket team">India cricket team">India cricket team">India cricket team">India are set for a bumper all-format tour of New Zealand later this year comprising of as many as 12 matches, the New Zealand Cricket (NZC) announced on Wednesday. Led by Shubman Gill, India will play five ODIs and two Tests. The reigning T20 World Cup champions will play five matches in the shortest format too.

India will open the tour with the T20s in late October and early November quickly followed by the ODI series. The first Test takes place at Wellington's Basin Reserve from November 19 to 23. The second test will be at Christchurch's Hagley Oval from November 27 to December 1.

It is by far the biggest in-bound tour in the history of NZC. India and New Zealand have recently build an impressive rivalry on the cricket field in recent times. The 2019 ODI World Cup semifinal began the modern rivalry when New Zealand upset India in a two-day affair in Manchester.

That was followed by Kane Williamson’s men once again defying the odds to down India in the 2021 World Test Championship Final at Southampton. However, India bounced back in style with triumphs over New Zealand in the 2023 ODI World Cup semifinal in Mumbai.

If that wasn't enough, India trounced New Zealand in the 2025 Champion’s Trophy final in Dubai and most recently in the T20 World Cup 2026 final in Ahmedabad in March. New Zealand also had success on Indian soil, becoming the first tea to whitewash India at home in 2024.

They backed that up by winning their first-ever ODI series win in India in 2026.

India's tour of New Zealand 2026 schedule

1st T20I - 22 October, Christchurch

 2nd T20I - 24 October, Christchurch

 3rd T20I - 27 October, Wellington

 4th T20I - 30 October, Auckland

 5th T20I - 1 November, Hamilton

 1st ODI - 4 November, Auckland

 2nd ODI - 7 November, Wellington

 3rd ODI - 10 November, Hamilton

 4th ODI - 13 November, Mount Maunganui

 5th ODI - 15 November, Mount Maunganui

 1st Test - 19-23 November, Wellington

 2nd Test - 27 November-1 December 2026, Christchurch