India's 12-match NZ tour headlines New Zealand's 2026-27 home season
Synopsis
India's three-format New Zealand tour from 22 October to 1 December 2026 will be the biggest inbound assignment in NZC history — 12 matches, five venues, and the first Tests in NZ since 2019. The series doubles as a diplomatic showpiece marking 100 years of India-New Zealand sporting ties.
Key Takeaways
India will tour New Zealand from 22 October to 1 December 2026 across all three formats.
The tour features 5 T20Is, 5 ODIs and 2 Tests — 12 internationals , the most ever on an inbound NZ tour.
It will be India's first Test series in New Zealand since 2019 and first white-ball tour since 2022 .
The first Test starts 19 November in Wellington ; the second begins 27 November in Christchurch .
BlackCaps then host Sri Lanka from 16 January ; WhiteFerns host Bangladesh from 10-23 December .
Team India will headline New Zealand's 2026-27 international home season with a blockbuster three-format tour spanning 22 October to 1 December 2026, featuring five T20Is, five ODIs and two Tests across five major venues. New Zealand Cricket (NZC) confirmed the schedule on Tuesday, calling it the largest in-bound tour in its history with 12 internationals on offer.
Key Tour Details
The series marks India's first Test assignment in New Zealand since 2019 and their first white-ball outing in the country since 2022. NZC said the New Zealand Government will back the tour as part of celebrations marking 100 years of sporting ties between the two nations.
Christchurch's Hagley Oval opens proceedings with back-to-back T20Is on 22 and 24 October, and the Garden City will also host the second Test from 27 November. Wellington's Cello Basin Reserve stages the first Test from 19 November, while the city's Sky Stadium hosts a T20I and an ODI.
Venues Across the Country
Auckland's Eden Park and Hamilton's Seddon Park have each been allotted a T20I and an ODI, while Tauranga's Bay Oval at Mount Maunganui will close out the ODI series with the fourth and fifth matches on 13 and 15 November.
What Follows for the BlackCaps
The BlackCaps will then host Sri Lanka across three ODIs, three T20Is and two Tests from 16 January into February, before travelling for a much-anticipated four-Test away series in Australia in December and early January.
Women's Calendar
The WhiteFerns, currently in England preparing to defend their ICC Women's T20 World Cup crown, will host Bangladesh for three T20Is and three ODIs from 10 to 23 December. It will be the side's only home assignment of the summer, after the inaugural ICC Women's Champions Trophy (T20I) in Sri Lanka was rescheduled to February — pushing their planned Australia tour in February-March 2027 off the calendar.
A Packed Summer
In all, the home summer could feature up to 41 days of international cricket across eight cities. The India leg, in particular, is expected to be a commercial highlight given the broadcast pull of bilateral India series and the diplomatic framing around the centenary of sporting ties.
With the men's side juggling a packed white-ball calendar and a high-stakes Australia Test tour, depth across formats will be tested. NZC's full venue rollout — and confirmation of marquee dates — is expected closer to the tour window.
Point of View
And packing in 12 internationals across five venues is a clear monetisation play. The centenary framing gives the tour diplomatic cover, but the real story is scheduling intensity: India will play five T20Is, five ODIs and two Tests in 40 days, which is brutal on a top-order already shuttling between formats. Whether the BCCI rests senior players — particularly in the T20I leg — will say a lot about how it values bilateral cricket in a Champions Trophy and WTC cycle.
NationPress
6 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When does India's 2026 tour of New Zealand begin and end?
India's tour of New Zealand runs from 22 October to 1 December 2026. It opens with a T20I at Christchurch's Hagley Oval and concludes with the second Test at the same venue.
How many matches will India play on the New Zealand tour?
India will play 12 internationals — five T20Is, five ODIs and two Tests. NZC has confirmed it is the largest inbound tour in its history.
Where will the two Test matches be played?
The first Test will be played at Wellington's Cello Basin Reserve from 19 to 23 November 2026. The second Test will be held at Christchurch's Hagley Oval from 27 November to 1 December 2026.
When was India's last Test series in New Zealand?
India last played Tests in New Zealand in 2019. The 2026 series will also be their first white-ball assignment in the country since 2022.
What other series are part of New Zealand's 2026-27 home summer?
After India, the BlackCaps will host Sri Lanka for three ODIs, three T20Is and two Tests from 16 January into February. The WhiteFerns will host Bangladesh for three T20Is and three ODIs from 10 to 23 December.
