India and New Zealand shift to ODI series at bouncy Eden Park

Eden Park presents unique dimensions and high bounce

Glenn Phillips described the Eden Park cricket square as potentially the second-bounciest in the world after Perth. The highest ODI score recorded at this venue remains 340, which was set in 2007.

In the last two ODIs played at this ground, teams batting under lights were bowled out for 150 and 76. New Zealand posted 259 runs in the fourth T20I, a total assisted by the short straight boundary, high bounce, and strong winds that hindered dew.

Former India fielding coach R Sridhar said the dimensions of Auckland are challenging and require players to focus on cutting the angles.

R Sridhar added that wind, cold weather, and the match start time influence play. The team has only one training session before Wednesday’s game and must adapt quickly to the venue.

Injury concerns impact team selections for first ODI

New Zealand faces injury setbacks as Devon Conway remains unavailable for the first ODI following a concussion. His injury occurred during a fielding drill collision with teammate Matt Henry. Matt Henry’s availability for the match is uncertain following that same collision.

New Zealand is also without Mark Chapman and Rachin Ravindra for the series. The team’s pace attack is missing Lockie Ferguson and Matt Henry. Newcomer Matthew Fisher has filled the void, taking three wickets.

India is missing Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya for the series. Shreyas Iyer is expected to replace Ruturaj Gaikwad at the number four batting position. Axar Patel is expected to return to the side as a spin-bowling allrounder.

India struggles to incorporate spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy into their pace-heavy lineup. Axar Patel has delivered underwhelming performances for the team. Kuldeep Yadav may be excluded from the first ODI due to the peculiar dimensions of Eden Park.

Ishan Kishan returned to the Indian lineup in the previous match. The team is also considering Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for the wicketkeeper role.

India focuses on fielding drills to improve catching efficiency

Indian players performed a 30-minute fielding drill at Eden Park. The team divided into groups of four to run between two equidistant cones. Fielding coach Subhadeep Ghosh and support staff threw balls during the session. The drill stressed running in straight lines to familiarise with the ground’s dimensions.

India has played 18 ODIs since the captaincy changed. The team has missed 27 catches and maintained a catching efficiency of 77.5 percent during this period. New Zealand dropped 12 catches throughout the preceding T20I series.

Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma enter the ODI series with contrasting form

Shubman Gill enters the series as the leading ODI run-scorer in 2026. Rohit Sharma has never scored an ODI century in New Zealand. He holds an average of 36.41 and a strike rate of 72.95 across 13 innings in the country.

Glenn Phillips is the leading run-scorer against India in the current T20I series with 276 runs. New Zealand scored 259 runs in 20 overs at Eden Park last Friday.

Recent T20I series results set the stage for ODI transition

India clinched the T20I series victory before transitioning to the ODI format. This series included a high-scoring match played at Eden Park on October 30.

The fourth T20I at Eden Park saw India lose by 87 runs, marking the team’s second-largest defeat in the format. Shreyas Iyer described the loss as a "great learning curve" and admitted players struggled to adjust to the unique ground dimensions.

Glenn Phillips stated that New Zealand’s 259-run performance in that match provided a significant confidence boost to his team.

During the 2026 calendar year, India conceded 200 or more runs in 11 of their 39 total matches. The final T20I concluded on November 1 at Seddon Park in Hamilton.

While India holds the T20I series win, New Zealand won the most recent bilateral ODI series against them. The team previously lost to India in the semi-final of the last ODI World Cup.

Upcoming ODI series schedule across New Zealand venues

The tour itinerary features matches across several distinct New Zealand locations. It starts at Eden Park before moving to Wellington and Seddon Park in Hamilton.

R Sridhar said each venue presents specific challenges for the players. He noted the wind in Wellington, the larger dimensions in Auckland, and the open-sided nature of Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui.

The five-match ODI series will conclude at Bay Oval. During the final T20I at Seddon Park on November 1, temperatures were expected to reach 12-15 °C.