New Zealand vs India: 3 batters to watch in 1st ODI

Eden Park in Auckland is the venue for the opening fixture of a five-match ODI series between New Zealand and India on November 4, 2026. The ground has historically favoured pace bowling, and chasing sides have won 42 times compared to 33 wins for teams batting first, making the toss an important factor.

Both squads have strong batting line-ups, and a handful of players stand out as capable of shaping the result. Here are three batters worth watching closely when the two sides meet in the first ODI.

Here are three batters to watch out for in 1st ODI between New Zealand and India:

3. Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli has been playing only ODIs in 2026, and the gaps between series have done little to slow him down. Across 9 ODI matches this year, he has accumulated 552 runs at an average of 69 and a strike rate of 117.94, with 2 centuries and 3 fifties to his name. His highest score of 139* came against the West Indies in Thiruvananthapuram in September 2026, an innings that was also his 55th ODI hundred. Earlier in 2026, during the New Zealand tour of India in January, Kohli reached 28,000 international runs and moved past Kumar Sangakkara to become the second-highest run-scorer in international cricket history.