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IND vs NZ 1st ODI: Arshdeep Singh dropped; Shubman Gill wins the toss and opts to bowl

Sakshi Sharma

Shubman Gill wins the toss (Source:@screengrab, BCCI)Shubman Gill wins the toss (Source:@screengrab, BCCI)

Team India will look to begin the new year on a positive note as they take on New Zealand in the first ODI of the three-match series on January 11, 2026. The opening match is being played at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara.

At the toss, India skipper Shubman Gill and New Zealand captain Michael Bracewell walked out to the middle. India won the toss and decided to bowl first, keeping in mind the conditions and the possibility of dew later in the game.

It is important to mention that this is also going to be the first series as ODI captain for Shubman Gill in India.

Shubman Gill wins toss, IND choose to bowl first

Toss Update: India won the toss and opted to bowl first.

Talking about the playing XI, India has gone with six bowlers. The team has included three spinners, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, and Kuldeep Yadav, and three pacers, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Harshit Rana.

For New Zealand, Kristian Clarke is making his debut. The Kiwis have opted for two spinners, Michael Bracewell and Adithya Ashok, and pacers Zak Foulkes, Kristian Clarke, and Kyle Jamieson.

Rishabh Pant ruled out of New Zealand ODIs

Ahead of the series, India suffered a setback as Rishabh Pant was ruled out due to a side strain. The BCCI named Dhruv Jurel as his replacement in the squad. 

However, Jurel has not been included in the playing XI, with KL Rahul taking up wicket-keeping duties and batting in the middle order.

Much of the spotlight will once again be on senior stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. They ended last year on a strong note with impressive performances against Australia and South Africa, putting all speculation about their future to rest. 

Both players have also stayed match-ready by representing their respective state teams in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

Another big boost for India is the return of Shreyas Iyer, who is back in the squad after recovering from a freak injury he suffered in Sydney last year.

IND vs NZ 1st ODI: Playing XIs

India Playing XI: Shubman Gill (c), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (vc), KL Rahul (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna

New Zealand Playing XI: Devon Conway (wk), Henry Nicholls, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Matthew Hay, Michael Bracewell (c), Zak Foulkes, Kristian Clarke, Kyle Jamieson, Adithya Ashok

IND vs NZ 1st ODI: Captains Thoughts

Shubman Gill (India Captain): "We are going to bowl first. Honestly, try different combinations and see what suits us the best. Whenever you play in India, there is challenge bowling second with the dew. Try out what suits our conditions best. 

It looks like a nice wicket. Hopefully, it will be a bit easier with the dew coming on in the second innings.

I think playing a bit of Vijay Hazare, everyone looks in good form. We have played a lot of cricket together, the environment is always nice and calm whenever we play together. 

We are going with six bowlers. Washi, Jadeja, Kuldeep as spinners. Prasidh, Siraj and Harshit."

Michael Bracewell (New Zealand Captain): "We would have bowled first as well. It looks like a good surface. So happy enough to bat first. We have been here for a little bit time now to get used to the weather. We also had a couple of days of training here at the Baroda Cricket Association. There were some great facilities. We are rearing to go.

It is a big series for us. First of all, every time you play for New Zealand, it is a proud moment. Getting used to the conditions here in India before the T20 World Cup is a great advantage. We are very much excited about this series and looking forward to it.

It is always great to play in India and in front of such a big crowd and fans. It is a new experience for a lot of guys. There are a few experienced guys in the squad as well. We are certainly leaning to that experience in this series. Looks like a decent wicket. Probably, a little bit lower bounce than we have in New Zealand. Need to adapt to the conditions quickly.

We have got Kristian Clarke making his debut. Adi Ashok is the spinner. Then 2 quicks and myself as a spinner."