New Year, New Series: When And Where Team India Begins Its 2026 Campaign

New Delhi: The new year 2026 is coming with a bang for the Indian cricket team. The New Zealand team will tour India, where first a series of 3 ODIs and then 5 T20 matches will be played. This series is being considered as a rehearsal for the T20 World Cup 2026 to be held in February-March. India is the defending champion on home ground, so both pressure and expectations are high.

ODIs will start at 1:30 pm, and T20s will start at 7 pm. Venues in different cities, Fans will get live action. Let's see the complete schedule and details.

ODI series: When will it start?

The series will start with ODI. Three matches, in three different cities.

• 1st ODI: January 11, 2026, Vadodara (Kotambi Stadium) : 1:30 PM. Men's international match in Vadodara after 15 years.
• 2nd ODI: 14 January 2026, Rajkot : 1:30 PM.
• 3rd ODI: 18 January 2026, Indore (Holkar Stadium) : 1:30 PM. High-scoring ground, fun to bat.

These ODIs will refresh the old rivalry between India and New Zealand. India won 62 in 120 ODIs, New Zealand 50. Will seniors like Rohit and Kohli shine here? 

T20 Series: Is it real preparation for the World Cup?

5 T20s after ODI – these are the most important. T20 World Cup on home ground, so last chance to set the combination.

• 1st T20: 21 January 2026, Nagpur – 7 PM.
• 2nd T20: 23 January 2026, Raipur – 7 PM.
• 3rd T20: 25 January 2026, Guwahati – 7 PM.
• 4th T20: 28 January 2026, Visakhapatnam – 7 PM.
• 5th T20: 31 January 2026, Thiruvananthapuram – 7 PM.

India's record in T20 is better – 14 wins in 25 matches. Suryakumar Yadav will captain, young players will get a chance. New Zealand team is strong, but India is favorite at home.

Where to watch the matches, and why is it special?

Live telecast on Star Sports, streaming on JioCinema. 8 different venues, cricket at every corner for fans. Many New Zealand players are busy in leagues, but the series is exciting. Opportunity for India to do a combination test before the World Cup. Will Team India emerge stronger from here and enter the World Cup? Fans have more eyes on T20. New year, new series– double the fun of cricket!