India face New Zealand in opening ODI match in Auckland with senior stars back

India start a five-match one-day international series against New Zealand at Eden Park in Auckland on Wednesday. Senior players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli rejoin the squad for this format. Shubman Gill will lead the team for the first three matches, and Shreyas Iyer will take over as captain for the final two games.

Team Changes And Venue

The visiting squad enters this tour after winning a Twenty20 series three games to two, though concerns remain regarding bowling depth due to the absence of Jasprit Bumrah. Mohammed Siraj leads a young pace unit that also includes Arshdeep Singh, Gurnoor Brar, and Anshul Kamboj. The team management must also decide whether to pick Kuldeep Yadav or Naman Dhir in the playing eleven. Meanwhile, the home side faces major injury setbacks. Devon Conway is out due to a concussion following a training mishap, joining Rachin Ravindra and Mark Chapman on the sidelines. Tim Seifert will step in to open the batting for the hosts.

Context

Eden Park has historically proven to be a difficult venue for the Indian team, where they have secured only four victories out of eleven previous matches in this format. This series marks an early step in the team's long-term preparation toward the 2027 ODI World Cup. Matches in New Zealand often present unique challenges for visiting batters due to lively pitches and strong home fast-bowling attacks.