Team India cricketer Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are only active in ODI cricket after retiring from Tests and T20I format.
Updated: June 3, 2026, 1:24 PM IST
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Virat Kohli (left) and Rohit Sharma could be seen in action in 5 ODIs in New Zealand this year. (Photo: IANS)
India vs New Zealand 2026: The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season might be over but that doesn’t mean that the fans of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma need to be disappointed. The Indian cricket legends are getting ready for their possible final salvo in the ICC ODI World Cup 2027 which is set to take place next year in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
Kohli and Rohit are expected to make their ODI comeback in the three-match series against Afghanistan beginning in Dharamshala on June 13. But there is some even better news for the fans of Kohli and Rohit as New Zealand Cricket (NZC) came out with their full schedule for the summer season.
According to NZC, apart from 2 Tests and 5 T20I matches in the series, there will also be a five-match ODI series where Indian fans will be hoping that both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will be prominently featuring. Rohit and Virat have both retired from the Tests as well as T20I format of the game and are only available in ODI cricket.
The New Zealand Government will be supporting the in-bound India tour alongside adjacent sporting tours by India later in the year, as 100 years of sporting ties between New Zealand and India are commemorated.
“When it comes to cricket – it simply doesn’t get bigger than India and we’re determined to deliver New Zealanders a tour like no other. This will be about more than just the cricket on the field – it will be a celebration of New Zealand’s shared history andculture with India, and our burgeoning rivalry and friendship through cricket,” NZC Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer Glenn Critchley said in a statement on Wednesday.
“The passion and the following this team has is staggering – not to mention some of the players expected to tour such as Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah – so we’re bracing for the intensity and fandom that will accompany the tour. Experiencing the noise, colour and atmosphere of an Indian cricket international is a bucket-list event and I’d encourage the kiwi public to take up the opportunity to witness it first-hand.
“We’re expecting all of these games to sell out – so we’re urging fans to register for their tickets during the pre-sale window to avoid disappointment,” Critchley added.
Kohli is gunning to break Sachin Tendulkar’s incredible record of 100 international centuries. The 37-year-old batter, who won his second successive IPL title with Royal Challengers Bengaluru this year, has piled up 85 international hundreds – 54 of them coming in ODI cricket.
He has scored 14797 runs in ODIs in 311 matches with 54 tons and 77 fifties at a strik-rate of 93.82. Rohit, on the other hand, has scored 11577 runs in 282 ODI matches with 33 hundreds and 61 fifties at a strike-rate of 92.74.
A historic tour of New Zealand beckons
Presenting the full schedule for #TeamIndia‘s tour of New Zealand starting in October 2026 comprising 5️⃣ T20Is, 5️⃣ ODIs, and 2️⃣ Tests #NZvIND pic.twitter.com/M47AAAG9AG
— BCCI (@BCCI) June 3, 2026
“It’s always a special occasion playing India,” New Zealand leg-spinner Ish Sodhi said. “They’re an unbelievable cricket team, full of talent and star power – you know every time you face them it’s going to beseriously challenging. The rivalry we’ve built in recent years is pretty staggering and I’m sure this tour will deliver many more big moments.
New Zealand vs India 2026
| Date | Match | Venue |
| Thu 22 Oct | 1st T20I | Hagley Oval, Christchurch |
| Sat 24 Oct | 2nd T20I | Hagley Oval, Christchurch |
| Tue 27 Oct | 3rd T20I | Hnry Stadium, Wellington |
| Fri 30 Oct | 4th T20I | Eden Park, Auckland |
| Sun 1 Nov | 5th T20I | Seddon Park, Hamilton |
| Wed 4 Nov | 1st ODI | Eden Park, Auckland |
| Sat 7 Nov | 2nd ODI | Hnry Stadium, Wellington |
| Tue 10 Nov | 3rd ODI | Seddon Park, Hamilton |
| Fri 13 Nov | 4th ODI | Bay Oval, Tauranga |
| Sun 15 Nov | 5th ODI | Bay Oval, Tauranga |
| Thu 19 Nov – Mon 23 Nov | 1st Test | Basin Reserve, Wellington |
| Fri 27 Nov – Tue 1 Dec | 2nd Test | Hagley Oval, Christchurch |