Further in a major development ICC T20 World Cup 2026, Cricket Control Board in India (BCCI) Has unveiled the full program for a broad white ball chain against New Zealand,
India gears with a white-ball series against New Zealand for T20 World Cup 2026
The announcement was made during the BCCI’s 28th Apex Council meeting, which was confirmed that there will be a total of eight matches in the bilateral competition, three one day international (ODI) after five T20 International (T20I). The series is scheduled to begin on January 11, 2026, and will serve as an important phase in India’s preparation for the global program, which will be co-dominated by India and Sri Lanka in February and March.
The tour will be closed with the ODI series, which is likely to see the return of Indian stallwarts Rohit Sharma And Virat KohliBoth tests and T20 are retired from formats, but are expected to be active in ODIs. The first ODI will be held on 11 January in Baroda, followed by the match in Rajkot on 14 January and Indore on 18 January. These matches will provide India an opportunity to refine their 50 -over strategies, especially anchoring the lineup during a transition phase in lead and team composition.
T20I series led by Suryakumar Yadav to finalize India’s World Cup core
Following the ODI segment, the focus will be transferred to the much awaited T20i leg of the scheduled series from 21 January to 31 January 2026. This phase will be particularly important, as it marks India’s final international engagement before entering the high-day region of the T20 World Cup. Indian team will be led Suryakumar YadavWhose aggressive stroke-play and innovative leadership has earned him in the Captain’s Armband for the smallest format.
The five -match series begins with the first T20I in Nagpur on 21 January, followed by the second in Raipur on 23 January. Guwahati will host the third match on January 25, with the tour at the back-to-back T20Is in Vizag on January 28 and these matches will only help finalize their core squad for the World Cup.
India’s New Zealand Tour 2026: Complete Schedule and Site Description
| S. No. | date | Day | Time (IST) | Time (GMT) | match | venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 -January -2026 | sunday | 1:30 pm | 8:00 am | First odi | Baroda |
| 2 | 14 -January -2026 | Wednesday | 1:30 pm | 8:00 am | Second Odi | Rajkot |
| 3 | 18 -January -2026 | sunday | 1:30 pm | 8:00 am | Third Odi | Indore |
| 4 | 21 -January -2026 | Wednesday | 7:00 pm | 1:30 pm | 1 T20 Eye | Nagpur |
| 5 | 23 -January -2026 | Friday | 7:00 pm | 1:30 pm | Second t20i | Raipur |
| 6 | 25 -January -2026 | sunday | 7:00 pm | 1:30 pm | 3 T20 Eye | Guwahati |
| 7 | 28-JAN-2026 | Wednesday | 7:00 pm | 1:30 pm | 4 T20 Eye | Vijag |
| 8 | 31 -January -2026 | Saturday | 7:00 pm | 1:30 pm | 5th T20 Eye | Thiruvananthapuram |
Also read: New Zealand Cricket revealed central contracts for 2025–26; Ken Williamson goes out again
