NZ vs IND 1st ODI prediction: India begin the five-match ODI series against New Zealand at Eden Park, Auckland, on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, with the first ball at 7:30 AM IST and the toss at 7:00 AM IST. The ODI leg follows a T20I series India won 3-2, but New Zealand carry the momentum of winning the final two T20Is, including a seven-wicket win in the Hamilton finale. The biggest story of this opener is the return of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to India's ODI side, with Shubman Gill captaining the first three matches of the series.
This preview covers the NZ vs IND 1st ODI playing 11 for both sides, the Eden Park pitch report, the toss call, a Dream11 team with captain and vice-captain picks, and our match prediction. The match will be televised on the Sony Sports Network and streamed live on SonyLIV.
NZ vs IND 1st ODI Prediction: Who Will Win?
Our NZ vs IND 1st ODI prediction is India to win a close opener and take a 1-0 lead. India lead the overall ODI head-to-head against New Zealand and arrive with the deeper batting line-up: Rohit, Gill and Kohli at the top, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul in the middle, and Axar Patel plus Nitish Kumar Reddy giving the lower order genuine batting depth. New Zealand's home advantage is real, though. Glenn Phillips finished the T20I series with a world-record 341 runs, Tim Seifert rediscovered form with 93 in Hamilton, and Eden Park's short straight boundaries suit both men perfectly.
The deciding factor should be India's bowling at the death and New Zealand's inexperienced middle order under scoreboard pressure. Mohammed Siraj leads an attack without Jasprit Bumrah, who is rested from the ODI leg, while Kuldeep Yadav's wrist spin against Phillips is the key battle of the match. If India bat first and post anything above 300, New Zealand will need another Phillips special to chase it down. Prediction: India win by 15-25 runs batting first, or by 4 wickets chasing.
NZ vs IND 1st ODI Playing 11 (Predicted)
India's XI for the Auckland opener is close to settled, with one genuine selection debate: whether Kuldeep Yadav plays ahead of a second seamer. Former players Ambati Rayudu and Murali Kartik both picked the same eleven for this match, and it is the side we expect Gill to name. Nitish Kumar Reddy is available for the first ODI only before joining the red-ball preparations, so his all-round role matters more than usual. Prasidh Krishna is out of the whole ODI series with a hamstring injury and has been replaced by Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi, who was added to the squad for the first three ODIs.
India predicted playing 11
- Shubman Gill (c), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj
Rohit's 2026 ODI form makes him the first name on the team sheet: 604 runs at an average above 50 this year. Kohli has been even better in this format in 2026, with 552 runs at 69, including an unbeaten 139 against the West Indies on October 3. Both men return to ODI cricket after exactly a month away, and both have outstanding records in New Zealand conditions.
New Zealand predicted playing 11
- Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Tom Latham (wk), Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (c), Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy, Kyle Jamieson
Rachin Ravindra returns from the shoulder injury that ruled him out of the T20I series, which strengthens New Zealand's top order considerably. Captain Mitchell Santner leads a bowling attack built around Jacob Duffy, who was outstanding in the T20Is, and Matt Henry's new-ball swing. Finn Allen and Tim Seifert are the other opening options if the hosts prefer Seifert's powerplay hitting at the top.
Eden Park Pitch Report: Auckland ODI Conditions
The Eden Park pitch report points to a batting-friendly surface with one famous quirk: the straight boundaries are among the shortest in international cricket, roughly 45-55 metres, because Eden Park is a rugby stadium first. Mis-hits down the ground clear the ropes, which is why six-hitting comes so easily here. ODI first-innings scores at Eden Park have averaged 285.8 since 2019, and New Zealand's 259 for 7 against India here on October 30 was the highest T20I total the ground has ever seen.
India's own record at this ground is modest: four wins, six losses and one tie from eleven ODIs at Eden Park. The surface is a drop-in pitch that tends to play true early and slow up slightly later, so spinners come into the game in the second innings. Captains winning the toss here usually prefer to bowl first and chase under lights, and with morning showers possible on match day, the team bowling first also gets the best of the overhead conditions. Toss prediction: the captain who wins the toss will bowl first. A first-innings total around 300 will be par; anything above 320 puts the chasing side under real pressure.
NZ vs IND 1st ODI Dream11 Team: Captain and Vice-Captain Picks
Here is our NZ vs IND 1st ODI Dream11 team, built for the Eden Park conditions and the current form of both squads. Wicketkeeper: KL Rahul. Batters: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips. All-rounders: Axar Patel, Mitchell Santner, Nitish Kumar Reddy. Bowlers: Mohammed Siraj, Jacob Duffy. Captain: Virat Kohli, whose 2026 ODI average of 69 and record at Eden Park-style grounds make him the safest high-ceiling pick. Vice-captain: Glenn Phillips, who scored 341 runs in the T20I series and is the most destructive batter on either side at this venue.
Differential picks for grand leagues: Tim Seifert, if he opens, and Kuldeep Yadav, whose wrist spin is the one weapon that can stop Phillips in the middle overs. Avoid loading up on New Zealand's lower order; Eden Park rewards top-order batters and death bowlers, and the fantasy points usually concentrate there.
Key Players to Watch in the Auckland ODI
Virat Kohli against Mitchell Santner's left-arm spin is the contest that could decide the middle overs, while Rohit Sharma's powerplay against Matt Henry's swing will set the tone. For New Zealand, Glenn Phillips is the obvious danger after his record-breaking T20I series, and Daryl Mitchell's calm in a chase makes him the hosts' anchor. Mohammed Siraj, leading India's attack in Bumrah's absence, must strike early; if New Zealand's openers survive the first ten overs, Eden Park's short boundaries will do the rest.
NZ vs IND 1st ODI Match Details, Telecast and Weather
Match: New Zealand vs India, 1st ODI, India tour of New Zealand 2026. Date: Wednesday, November 4, 2026. Venue: Eden Park, Auckland. Start: 7:30 AM IST (3:00 PM local time), toss at 7:00 AM IST. Telecast: Sony Sports Network. Live streaming: SonyLIV. The second ODI follows on November 7 in Wellington, and the third on November 10 in Hamilton. Auckland's forecast for November 4 shows morning showers with a high of 20 degrees and about a 30 percent chance of rain during the day, with light rain possible late in the evening, so a full match is likely but the toss and the first hour could be affected by cloud cover.
India won the T20I series 3-2, but New Zealand's back-to-back wins in Auckland and Hamilton changed the mood of this tour. The hosts won the fourth T20I by 87 runs at this very ground and the finale by seven wickets, and they will believe Eden Park owes them nothing. Our final call stays with India, but only just: expect a high-scoring game decided in the last ten overs.
FAQs
When is the NZ vs IND 1st ODI?
The NZ vs IND 1st ODI is on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, at Eden Park, Auckland. The match starts at 7:30 AM IST and the toss is at 7:00 AM IST.
What is the NZ vs IND 1st ODI Dream11 captain pick?
Virat Kohli is our Dream11 captain pick for the 1st ODI, with Glenn Phillips as vice-captain. Kohli averages 69 in ODIs in 2026, while Phillips scored a record 341 runs in the T20I series just gone.
What is the Eden Park pitch report for the 1st ODI?
Eden Park is a batting-friendly ground with very short straight boundaries. ODI first-innings scores here have averaged 285.8 since 2019, and the toss-winning captain is expected to bowl first.
Who will win the NZ vs IND 1st ODI?
Our prediction is India to win the 1st ODI and take a 1-0 series lead, thanks to the returns of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli and a deeper batting line-up, though New Zealand's home advantage makes it a close contest.
India's T20I series win was built on Abhishek Sharma's record hundred in Wellington and Glenn Phillips' reply in Auckland; the full stories are in our 5th T20I result report and our 4th T20I result analysis.
