India To Return To New Zealand To Play Test Cricket After Six Years For Multi-Format Series

 

 

New Zealand are all set to host India for the largest men’s bilateral cricket series ever held in the country, which is scheduled to be played later this year between October and November.

Shubman Gill and Co. will tour New Zealand for five ODIs between November 4 and 15 across four venues. The 40-day tour will commence on October 22, immediately after India’s home series against the West Indies with five T20Is. The last two Test matches will sign off the series as an integral part of the ICC World Test Championship final qualification for both te teams.

 

Also, it will be the first time since 2019 that India will tour New Zealand for Test cricket. Also, it will their first white-ball series in the country since 2022.

“The hosts will face India in five T20Is, five ODIs and two Test matches, with the 12-game itinerary set to become the largest international tour in the history of New Zealand Cricket in terms of the total number of matches,” the ICC said in its statement. India are set to feature in 17 ODIs before the conclusion of the 2026 calendar year. They will immediately begin their campaign with the home series against Afghanistan, starting with a one-off Test in Mullanpur. Also, the tour will include three ODIs, to be hosted in Dharamsala, Lucknow and Chennai between June 13 and 20. The Indian team will then depart for a white-ball tour of Ireland and England, including seven T20Is and three ODIs.

Indian cricket team is preparing for the 2027 ODI World Cup, and the team will mostly focus on the ODI bilateral series in build-up to the marquee tournament.

 

Full schedule for India’s tour to New Zealand

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