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Sports & Cricket
India opt to bowl in rain-delayed ODI opener against New Zealand
India won the toss and elected to bowl in the first ODI against New Zealand at Eden Park, Auckland, on Wednesday, 4 November 2026, after rain delayed the toss by around 20 minutes in the five-match series opener.
⚡Key Highlights
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India won the toss and elected to bowl in the first ODI against New Zealand at Eden Park, Auckland, on Wednesday, 4 November 2026, after rain delayed the toss by around 20 minutes in the five-match series opener.
Special coverage and in-depth reporting from the Sports & Cricket desk.
Key analysis, background details, and full reporting below.
Shubman Gill called correctly at Eden Park and sent New Zealand in to bat first, backing a four-seamer attack under overcast Auckland skies as India opened a five-match ODI series days after winning the T20I leg 3-2.
By StoryTimesNow News Desk — 04 November 2026, 9:05 AM IST
Symbolic illustration of a rain-hit cricket stadium under floodlights. No players or team crests are pictured.
Key Takeaways
What happened: India won the toss and elected to bowl in the first ODI at Eden Park, Auckland, on 4 November 2026, after rain delayed the toss by around 20 minutes.
Who is affected: Kohli and Rohit return in the ODI format, while New Zealand miss Ravindra, Chapman and, for this match, Conway.
What next: The series continues in Wellington on 7 November and Hamilton on 10 November, then two matches at Bay Oval on 13 and 15 November.
India captain Shubman Gill won the toss and chose to bowl first in the opening ODI against New Zealand at Eden Park, Auckland, on Wednesday, 4 November 2026. Rain had delayed the toss by around 20 minutes, but the weather cleared in time for play to begin at 7:40 AM IST, with no overs lost.
Gill pointed to the overcast conditions at the toss. "We'll bowl first, bit of overcast weather, and in case there's a reduction of overs, it's good to chase," he said, confirming India would go in with four fast bowlers and two all-rounders.
What Happened?
The toss was scheduled for 7:00 AM IST but was pushed back to 7:20 AM IST after a passing shower over Eden Park. Once the rain cleared, Gill called correctly against New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner and immediately opted to field.
India named a pace-heavy side. Arshdeep Singh, Anshul Kamboj, Auqib Nabi and Gurnoor Brar form the four-man fast-bowling attack, with Axar Patel and Naman Dhir providing the spin and all-round options. Kuldeep Yadav, widely expected to feature, was left out of the playing XI.
Gill opens alongside Rohit Sharma, with Virat Kohli at No. 3, followed by Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel and wicketkeeper KL Rahul. Both Kohli and Rohit, who have retired from Tests and T20Is, are central attractions of this ODI-only phase of their careers.
New Zealand handed Tim Seifert the opener's slot in place of the injured Conway. Seifert joins Will Young and Henry Nicholls at the top, with Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham, Glenn Phillips and Santner in the middle order, and Kyle Jamieson, Jacob Duffy and Blair Tickner leading the bowling attack.
Why Does This Matter?
The series is the first five-match ODI series for India since March 2019, and it arrives with the 2027 ODI World Cup firmly in view. Both teams are using the five games to test combinations, settle batting orders and judge bowling depth.
For India, the ODI leg is a bridge between formats. The team arrived fresh from a 3-2 T20I series win, sealed despite a seven-wicket defeat in the Hamilton finale on 2 November.
For New Zealand, the home series is a chance to answer back after losing the T20I series without several first-choice players.
Important Details
Match: 1st ODI, Eden Park, Auckland, 4 November 2026. Toss 7:20 AM IST after a rain delay; play began 7:40 AM IST, no overs lost.
Injury news: Ravindra and Chapman miss the whole series. Conway misses the opener after concussion in a training collision with Matt Henry.
Absent for India: Bumrah rested for the ODIs, returning for the Tests; Prasidh Krishna ruled out of the ODI leg.
Head-to-head: 123 ODIs; India lead 63-52. India won the last meeting, by 41 runs at Indore on 18 January 2026, taking that series 2-1.
Broadcast: Sony Sports Network telecasts the series in India; SonyLIV streams it live.
Background and Context
India's tour of New Zealand runs from 22 October to 1 December 2026 and is the biggest inbound tour in New Zealand Cricket's history: five T20Is, five ODIs and two Tests. The T20I leg, won 3-2 by India, featured Abhishek Sharma's 113 in the series-clinching win and a 93 from Seifert in New Zealand's Hamilton finale victory.
The ODI series also marks a changing of the guard within the tour party. Gill, Rahul and Nitish Kumar Reddy feature only in the opening leg before joining the Test squad, so leadership and combinations will shift midway through the tour.
What Happens Next?
The series moves quickly. The second ODI is at Sky Stadium, Wellington, on Saturday, 7 November, followed by the third at Seddon Park, Hamilton, on Tuesday, 10 November. Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, hosts the final two matches on Friday, 13 November and Sunday, 15 November. All five matches start at 7:30 AM IST.
After the ODIs, attention turns to red-ball cricket: the first Test begins at Basin Reserve, Wellington, on 19 November, and the second at Hagley Oval, Christchurch, from 27 November. It is India's first Test series in New Zealand since 2019-20, and both Tests count towards the 2025-2027 World Test Championship.
FAQs
Who won the toss in the India vs New Zealand 1st ODI? India captain Shubman Gill won the toss at Eden Park on 4 November 2026 and elected to bowl first.
When is the next ODI between India and New Zealand? The second ODI is at Sky Stadium, Wellington, on Saturday, 7 November 2026, starting at 7:30 AM IST.
Sources and Verification
Outlook India, 4 November 2026: toss delayed; Gill elected to bowl; playing XIs.
Business Standard, 4 November 2026: toss 7:20 AM IST; play from 7:40 AM IST; Bumrah rested.
The Hawk (PTI), 4 November 2026: toss comment; four fast bowlers; New Zealand injury news.
News18, 4 November 2026: Conway concussion; Bumrah to feature in Tests from 19 November.
Wisden / Indian Express, 2-3 November 2026: five-ODI schedule and venues; Test dates 19 and 27 November.
Verified on 4 November 2026 from the sources above. This article covers the toss, XIs and series context at the start of the match; it makes no claim about the result.
