Now Reading: New Zealand v India 1st ODI Preview: Can the Black Caps Flip the Script at Eden Park?
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New Zealand v India 1st ODI Preview: Can the Black Caps Flip the Script at Eden Park?
Auckland sets the stage on Wednesday, 4 November 2026, as New Zealand host India in the first ODI of the series at Eden Park. Two sides with a lively recent history collide, and the CricStats numbers point to a tight contest with India holding a slight edge. Here is the full data-driven preview.
Head-to-Head: A Rivalry Tilted Towards India
Across 123 ODIs since their first meeting in 1975, India lead the way. The gap is not huge, but it is clear enough to matter.
| Record | Matches |
|---|---|
| Played | 123 |
| India won | 63 |
| New Zealand won | 52 |
| Tied / drawn / no result | 8 |
| Meetings at Eden Park | 10 |
The last 10 decisive meetings tell a sharper story. CricStats data shows India winning 80% of them and New Zealand 20%.
Recent Meetings Show the Momentum Swings
The five most recent clashes have been far from one-sided. New Zealand grabbed the latest two, so they arrive with some belief of their own.
| Date | Result | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 18 Jan 2026 | New Zealand won by 41 runs | Holkar Cricket Stadium |
| 14 Jan 2026 | New Zealand won by 7 wickets (15 balls remaining) | Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium |
| 11 Jan 2026 | India won by 4 wickets (6 balls remaining) | Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara |
| 9 Mar 2025 | India won by 4 wickets (6 balls remaining) | Dubai International Cricket Stadium |
| 2 Mar 2025 | India won by 44 runs | Dubai International Cricket Stadium |
Form Guide: Hosts Hot, Visitors Mixed
New Zealand’s last 10 completed ODIs read L W W W L W W L W W. That is seven wins and three defeats, a 70% win rate. Their most recent outing was a two-wicket loss to West Indies on 22 July 2026.
India’s last 10 read L W W L L W L L W W. That is five wins and five defeats, a 50% win rate. Their latest result was a five-wicket loss to West Indies on 3 October 2026, a game that followed two straight eight-wicket wins.
| Team | Last 10 (newest first) | Won | Lost | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | L W W W L W W L W W | 7 | 3 | 70% |
| India | L W W L L W L L W W | 5 | 5 | 50% |
The Eden Park Factor
Eden Park has hosted 80 completed ODIs. Teams chasing have won 42 of them, while those batting first have won 33. The average first-innings total at the ground is 222.
On the historical numbers, chasing has been the more successful route here. Still, 33 wins for sides setting a target shows that runs on the board can hold up.
| Eden Park ODI stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Completed ODIs | 80 |
| Won batting first | 33 |
| Won chasing | 42 |
| Average first-innings total | 222 |
Players Who Have Been in Form
Squads are not confirmed, so these are players who have shone over the last 12 months, not certain starters.
New Zealand
Daryl Mitchell has been the standout with 592 runs in seven innings, including a best of 137. Will Young has made 319 runs in 11 innings, and Tom Latham has added 234 in eight.
With the ball, Jayden Lennox has taken 17 wickets in seven matches. Kyle Jamieson has 13 wickets in six, and Mitchell Santner has 10 in eight.
India
Virat Kohli leads the batting charts with 854 runs in 12 innings, with a best of 139. Shubman Gill has 657 runs in nine innings, headlined by a best of 223. Rohit Sharma has 607 runs in 12 innings, with a best of 138.
Kuldeep Yadav has claimed 19 wickets in nine matches. Prasidh Krishna has 18 in 10, and Harshit Rana has 10 in six.
Who Has Owned This Fixture Since 2021?
The head-to-head leaders since 2021 also lean India’s way, though Daryl Mitchell is right in the mix with the bat.
| Category | Player | Return |
|---|---|---|
| Runs | Shubman Gill (India) | 742 runs in 13 innings |
| Runs | Daryl Mitchell (New Zealand) | 741 runs in 11 innings |
| Runs | Virat Kohli (India) | 519 runs in 10 innings |
| Wickets | Mohammed Shami (India) | 17 wickets |
| Wickets | Kuldeep Yadav (India) | 16 wickets |
| Wickets | Mohammed Siraj (India) | 10 wickets |
Gill and Mitchell are separated by just one run in this fixture since 2021, which makes that a battle worth watching if both play.
CricStats Prediction: India Slight Favourites
The CricStats data lean is computed from the numbers, not a guess. India’s dominance in the last 10 decisive meetings, 80% to 20%, pushes the model their way. New Zealand’s stronger recent form, a 70% win rate against India’s 50%, pulls it back towards the middle.
The net result is a close call. On the numbers, the CricStats lean is New Zealand 40% and India 60%. That points to India as slight favourites, though nothing here is a certainty.
With recent results swinging both ways and Eden Park’s record favouring chasing sides, the opening ODI looks set to be a proper contest.
