Mitchell Santner has been confirmed as captain of New Zealand’s squad for the five-match ODI series against India. The series begins on November 4, 2026, and is a part of a larger tour that also includes a two-match Test series in Wellington starting on November 19 and five Twenty20 Internationals starting on October 22.
Rachin Ravindra, who rejoins the ODI squad after missing the T20I portion of this tour, is a noteworthy addition. Ravindra’s availability for the ODIs is a welcome boost for New Zealand, as he was sidelined for those games due to an injury sustained during a promotional advertisement shoot.
New Zealand has a favourable recent record going into this series. Their first bilateral ODI series victory on Indian soil came in January 2026, when they defeated India 2-1.
Due to the fact that a number of senior players must depart after the third ODI in order to prepare for the two-match Test series that starts in Wellington on November 19, New Zealand has divided their selection throughout the series. For the first three games, Ravindra, Devon Conway, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, and Nathan Smith are available; however, they won’t play in the final two.
New Zealand will field a different team in the fourth and fifth ODIs. In this leg, Finn Allen and Lockie Ferguson—who haven’t played since 2023—return to the ODI squad. The wicketkeepers for those two games are Mitch Hay and Tim Seifert, while Latham will keep in the first three.
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The significance of the five-match ODI series extends beyond the bilateral match. It is anticipated that Rob Walter, the coach of New Zealand, and the team management will approach these games as training for the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. The intention to evaluate a larger pool of players prior to that tournament is reflected in the squad composition for both legs.First and foremost, we are playing a strong Indian team in front of our supporters in packed stadiums, making this a major series for us. It’s crucial for us to see these games as important training for the ODI World Cup, which is just a year away,” Walter stated, as reported by the Indian Express.
Additionally, the split-squad strategy enables New Zealand to carefully manage workloads. While the senior players who are headed to the Test can arrive in Wellington with enough time to prepare, players from the second group who play in all five ODIs will receive significant international exposure. One of the most rigorous schedules New Zealand has encountered in a single summer at home is the tour.
New Zealand full squad for India ODI series 2026
ODIs 1-3: Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham (wk), Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Nathan Smith, Blair Tickner, Will Young.
ODIs 4-5: Mitchell Santner (c), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Kristian Clarke, Jacob Duffy, Matt Fisher, Mitch Hay (wk), Tim Seifert (wk), Nick Kelly, Blair Tickner, Will Young.
