IND vs NZ: 20 days, 8 matches and preparation for the World Cup. Non-stop cricket action will start from January 11.

News India Live, Digital Desk: 2025 is about to bid farewell and we all are preparing to welcome the new year. But the real celebration for Indian cricket fans will start from January 11, 2026. Why? Because in its own home, Team India is going to take the field to face New Zealand (Kiwi team). BCCI has released the complete schedule of this series and looking at the time-table of this time, it seems that the month of January is going to be full of cricket thrill. This long series of 3 ODI and 5 T20 matches is not just entertainment, but it is the ‘foundation’ of preparation for the T20 World Cup 2026. Emotional moment for Vadodara. The most special thing about this series is related to the first ODI match. The first match will be played on January 11 in Vadodara, Gujarat. For the cricket fans of Vadodara, this is no less than Diwali because after about 15 years, a men’s international match is going to be held here. This historic match will take place in the new ‘Kotambi Stadium’ built on the outskirts of the city. Imagine, what will be the atmosphere in the stadium when the wait of 15 years ends! Schedule: Mark these dates in your diary. ODI Series: Will start with ODI matches. These matches will be day-night. First match: 11 January 2026 – Vadodara (Gujarat) Second match: 14 January 2026 – Rajkot (Gujarat) Third match: 18 January 2026 – Indore (Madhya Pradesh) Holkar Stadium of Indore is famous for its small ground and rain of fours and sixes, so a mountain of runs is seen there. Rest assured. T20I Series: Immediately after the ODI, the real ‘fight’ will begin. 5 T20 matches have been kept in view of the World Cup. First T20: 21 January – NagpurSecond T20: 23 January – RaipurThird T20: 25 January – GuwahatiFourth T20: 28 January – VisakhapatnamFifth T20: 31 January – ThiruvananthapuramThe ‘dress rehearsal’ of the World Cup as we know Yes, India and Sri Lanka will jointly host the T20 World Cup in February-March 2026. In such a situation, playing a 5-match T20 series against a strong team like New Zealand is the biggest test for Team India. This will be the last chance for captain Suryakumar Yadav and coach Gautam Gambhir to choose their ‘Perfect 11’. All eyes will be on young players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh and Ravi Bishnoi. This series will decide who will get the ticket in the World Cup flight and whose card will be canceled.