Check the India schedule for November December 2026, including New Zealand T20Is, ODIs and Tests, plus Sri Lanka’s six-match white-ball tour of India
New Delhi: India face a packed international cricket schedule from late October through December 2026, with tours of New Zealand and a home series against Sri Lanka. Shreyas Iyer’s team opened the New Zealand T20I series with a four-wicket victory and now lead 1-0 in the five-match contest. India will follow the T20Is with five ODIs and two Tests before welcoming Sri Lanka for three ODIs and three T20Is. The schedule covers all three formats against New Zealand before India return to limited-overs cricket at home.
India’s busy end to 2026 at a glance
India’s New Zealand tour runs from October 22 to December 1, with five T20Is, five ODIs and two Tests. The series gives India cricket across three formats in New Zealand conditions before the team returns home for Sri Lanka’s white-ball tour.
New Zealand Cricket has described the programme as its biggest home series against a single opponent. India’s schedule includes early afternoon T20Is, morning ODIs and early-start Tests when viewed from India.
| Series | Dates | Matches |
|---|---|---|
| India tour of New Zealand: T20Is | October 22–November 1 | 5 |
| India tour of New Zealand: ODIs | November 4–15 | 5 |
| India tour of New Zealand: Tests | November 19–December 1 | 2 |
| Sri Lanka tour of India | December 13–27 | 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is |
Where the New Zealand tour stands
India began the tour with a four-wicket win in Christchurch on October 22. New Zealand scored 225/4 in 20 overs, powered by Glenn Phillips’ unbeaten 82 off 40 balls. India chased down the target with 230/6 in 19.4 overs, completing a record successful T20I chase for the team.
Sanju Samson led India’s response with 67 off 33 balls and earned Player of the Match honours. Shreyas Iyer and Naman Dhir also helped India finish the chase after the middle order lost wickets. India now hold a 1-0 lead, with four matches remaining in the T20I series.
The remaining T20Is
India and New Zealand will play the next four T20Is across Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland and Hamilton. All four matches have a scheduled start time of 12:30 PM IST.
| Date | Match | Venue | Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 24 | 2nd T20I | Hagley Oval, Christchurch | 12:30 PM |
| October 27 | 3rd T20I | Hnry Stadium, Wellington | 12:30 PM |
| October 30 | 4th T20I | Eden Park, Auckland | 12:30 PM |
| November 1 | 5th T20I | Seddon Park, Hamilton | 12:30 PM |
The teams will use these four matches to complete the five-game series. The final T20I will take place at Seddon Park in Hamilton, according to the published schedule.
The ODI series
The five-match ODI series begins on November 4, just three days after the final T20I. India will play in Auckland, Wellington and Hamilton before finishing the series with two matches at Bay Oval.
| Date | Match | Venue | Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 4 | 1st ODI | Eden Park, Auckland | 7:30 AM |
| November 7 | 2nd ODI | Hnry Stadium, Wellington | 7:30 AM |
| November 10 | 3rd ODI | Seddon Park, Hamilton | 7:30 AM |
| November 13 | 4th ODI | Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui | 7:30 AM |
| November 15 | 5th ODI | Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui | 7:30 AM |
All five matches are scheduled for 3 PM local time in New Zealand, which translates to 7:30 AM IST. The series will also give India another opportunity to face New Zealand in the 50-over format after New Zealand won their January 2026 ODI series in India, securing their first ODI series victory on Indian soil.
Gill and Iyer: who captains when
India will use different captains across the formats. Shreyas Iyer leads the T20I side, while Shubman Gill takes charge of the first three ODIs. Iyer serves as Gill’s vice-captain during those matches.
Iyer will captain the final two ODIs, with Ishan Kishan as vice-captain. Gill will also lead India in the two-Test series. Mitchell Santner captains New Zealand in both the T20I and ODI formats.
These leadership arrangements give India separate captaincy responsibilities across the tour, with Gill leading the Test side and Iyer taking charge of the T20Is and the final two ODIs.
Rohit and Kohli in the ODI squad
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli feature in India’s ODI plans for the New Zealand tour. Their inclusion adds experience to the 50-over squad as India prepare for five matches away from home.
The confirmed names available from the squad information also include KL Rahul, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ruturaj Gaikwad. Arshdeep Singh and Tilak Varma feature in the plans for the final two ODIs.
The full squad details should be checked against the latest official announcement before publication, particularly where reports provide incomplete player lists or distinguish between the first three and final two matches.
The two Tests and the WTC
India will play two Tests after completing the ODI series. The first Test runs from November 19 to 23 at Basin Reserve in Wellington, while the second takes place from November 27 to December 1 at Hagley Oval in Christchurch. Both matches have a scheduled start time of 3:30 AM IST.
The Tests form part of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025–27 cycle. The WTC is the International Cricket Council’s league competition for Test cricket, in which teams collect points across a series of matches. The leading teams then qualify for the final, so each Test can affect a team’s position in the standings.
India’s New Zealand tour will therefore continue beyond the white-ball formats, with two longer matches rounding off the trip at the start of December.
Sri Lanka tour of India, December 13–27
India will return home to host Sri Lanka for a six-match white-ball series. The programme includes three ODIs followed by three T20Is, with no Test matches scheduled.
| Date | Match | Venue | Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 13 | 1st ODI | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi | 2:00 PM |
| December 16 | 2nd ODI | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru | 2:00 PM |
| December 19 | 3rd ODI | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad | 2:00 PM |
| December 22 | 1st T20I | Niranjan Shah Stadium, Rajkot | 7:00 PM |
| December 24 | 2nd T20I | Barabati Stadium, Cuttack | 7:00 PM |
| December 27 | 3rd T20I | MCA Stadium, Pune | 7:00 PM |
The ODI leg begins in Delhi before moving to Bengaluru and Ahmedabad. The teams then switch to T20Is, with evening matches in Rajkot, Cuttack and Pune. The final T20I on December 27 will bring India’s scheduled international programme for the year to a close.
A venue question in Delhi
The first ODI against Sri Lanka remains scheduled for Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on December 13. However, some reports suggested that the match could move to Ahmedabad. In response, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia rejected those reports in October and clarified that Delhi remained the planned venue.
Moreover, the published BCCI schedule also lists Delhi as the host city. Nevertheless, the venue could still change if the board announces a revision. Therefore, readers should check the latest official updates before the match.
Match timings in IST: mornings and evenings
The New Zealand fixtures will require early starts for Indian viewers. The remaining T20Is begin at 12:30 PM IST, the ODIs start at 7:30 AM, and both Tests begin at 3:30 AM. The Sri Lanka ODIs start at 2 PM, while the three T20Is begin at 7 PM.
These times reflect the published schedule as of October 23, 2026. Venues and timings can change, so check the latest BCCI and New Zealand Cricket updates before each match.
