India Set for Historic 12-Match Tour of New Zealand in 2026

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has confirmed the biggest inbound tour in its history, with India set to travel for a blockbuster 12-match series spanning all three formats later in 2026. Led by Shubman Gill, the Indian squad will play five T20 Internationals, five One Day Internationals, and two Test matches across multiple venues in New Zealand.

Tour schedule and key venues

The action kicks off with the T20I series in late October, followed swiftly by the ODI leg in early November. The Test series rounds off the tour, with the first match scheduled at Wellington’s Basin Reserve from November 19 to 23. The second Test moves to Christchurch’s iconic Hagley Oval, running from November 27 to December 1. NZC has described this as the most significant tour arrangement in the board’s history, reflecting India’s stature as the game’s biggest draw.

The tour comes on the back of a fiercely contested modern rivalry between the two nations. New Zealand made waves by defeating India in the 2021 ICC World Test Championship Final at Southampton, and later became the first side to whitewash India on home soil in 2024, before claiming their first-ever ODI series win in India in 2026.

India arrive as dominant world champions

Despite New Zealand’s recent gains, India have had the better of the high-stakes clashes of late. Gill’s men triumphed over the Kiwis in the 2023 ODI