India elected to bowl against New Zealand in the first ODI at Eden Park, Auckland, as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli returned to the 50-over format.
India captain Shubman Gill won the toss and decided to field first against New Zealand in the opening match of the five-match ODI series at Eden Park in Auckland on Wednesday.
The match marks the return of senior Indian batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to international 50-over cricket. Their comeback is an important development as India begin preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
India will look to make a positive start to the series while also improving their recent record against New Zealand on their home ground.
The return of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli is one of the biggest talking points ahead of the series. Both experienced batters are expected to play important roles as India prepare for the next ODI World Cup.
Their presence will provide experience and stability to India's batting lineup, while the series will offer the team an opportunity to assess its combinations and performances in overseas conditions.
India will also aim to regain consistency after experiencing mixed results in the 50-over format over the past year.
India have faced difficulties winning ODI matches in New Zealand in recent years. Their last ODI victory on New Zealand soil came in February 2019.
Since that win, India have toured the country twice for bilateral ODI series. The visitors suffered a 3-0 defeat during one tour, while the other series ended in a 1-0 loss, with two matches abandoned due to rain.
The latest series provides India with another opportunity to improve their record and challenge the hosts in familiar home conditions.
New Zealand also defeated India 2-1 in their previous bilateral ODI series, making the opening encounter important for both teams.
India have experienced inconsistent results in ODI cricket since winning the Champions Trophy in early 2025. The team has participated in six ODI series during this period, winning three and losing three. Their defeats came against Australia, New Zealand and England.
With the 2027 ODI World Cup approaching, India will be keen to strengthen their squad combination, improve consistency and give key players valuable match practice.
The five-match series against New Zealand will provide an important opportunity to evaluate the team's preparation and performance under challenging conditions.
After winning the toss, Indian captain Shubman Gill said the overcast weather conditions at Eden Park influenced his decision to bowl first. He explained that the possibility of weather interruptions made chasing a target a preferable option for India.
Gill also expressed confidence in the team's preparation and highlighted the importance of adapting to conditions in New Zealand, which he said would be similar to those expected in South Africa.
He confirmed that Anshul Kamboj, Auqib Nabi, Gurnoor Brar and Arshdeep Singh would form India's pace-bowling options for the match.
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner confirmed that wicketkeeper-batter Devon Conway would not feature in the opening match. Santner said Conway was doing well but had been given time to rest. His absence opened the door for Tim Seifert to feature in the playing XI.
The New Zealand captain also confirmed that his team would field four specialist pace-bowling options, indicating its intention to make the most of the conditions.
Both teams announced their playing combinations following the toss.
New Zealand Playing XI:
Tim Seifert
Will Young
Henry Nicholls
Daryl Mitchell
Tom Latham (Wicketkeeper)
Glenn Phillips
Mitchell Santner (Captain)
Nathan Smith
Kyle Jamieson
Jacob Duffy
Blair Tickner
India Playing XI:
Shubman Gill (Captain)
Rohit Sharma
Virat Kohli
Shreyas Iyer
Axar Patel
KL Rahul (Wicketkeeper)
Naman Dhir
Anshul Kamboj
Auqib Nabi
Gurnoor Brar
Arshdeep Singh
Conclusion
India will look to begin the ODI series with a victory as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli return to the format. With Shubman Gill choosing to bowl first, India's pace attack will aim to take advantage of the conditions, while New Zealand will target a strong batting performance at Eden Park.