Following South Africa's tour of India, New Zealand is now set to visit India for a three-match ODI series and a five-match T20I series. The New Zealand Cricket Board announced both the ODI and T20I squads on Tuesday. Michael Bracewell will captain the ODI team, while Mitchell Santner will lead the Kiwis in the T20I format. This article will provide details of New Zealand's strongest playing XI after the squad announcement.

The opening match of the ODI series will be played on January 11th at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara, the second match will be played on January 14th at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot, and the final match of the series will be played on January 18th at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore. All matches are scheduled to start at 1:30 PM IST.

Michael Bracewell to Lead New Zealand in ODIs

In Mitchell Santner's absence from the ODI series, Michael Bracewell has been given the captaincy of the New Zealand team. The team looks somewhat weaker without Kane Williamson, who is unavailable for this series due to his SA20 commitments. Despite missing some senior names, New Zealand have named a young but balanced squad.

New Zealand Strongest Playing 11

1. Devon Conway – Opener

2. Will Young – Opener

3. Henry Nicholls – Middle-order batter

4. Daryl Mitchell – Middle order / seam-bowling all-rounder

5. Glenn Phillips – Middle order / power-hitter

6. Michael Bracewell (Captain) – Batting all-rounder

7. Josh Clarkson – Batting all-rounder

8. Mitch Hay (Wicketkeeper) – Lower-middle order

9. Kyle Jamieson – Fast bowler

10. Zak Foulkes – Fast-bowling all-rounder

11. Adi Ashok – Leg-spinner

Why This Playing XI Works in India

• Stable Top Order: Devon Conway and Will Young have experience to play swing.
• Experienced Middle Order: Nicholls, Mitchell, and Phillips are experienced in playing Spinners.
• All-Round Depth: Bracewell, Clarkson, and Foulkes - Give Depth in Batting
• Bowling Variety: Jamieson’s bounce, Foulkes’ seam movement, and Adi Ashok’s leg-spin offer wicket-taking options.

Big Absences That Impact NZ

• Kane Williamson – Dropped due to SA20 commitments
• Mitchell Santner – Unavailable

India vs New Zealand 2026 ODI Series Schedule

New Zealand ODI Full Squad against India

Michael Bracewell (c), Adi Ashok, Kristian Clarke, Josh Clarkson, Devon Conway, Zak Foulkes, Mitch Hay, Kyle Jamieson, Nick Kelly, Jayden Lennox, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Glenn Phillips, Michael Rae, Will Young

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