One of the biggest cricket tours in a generation will open New Zealand’s home international calendar this summer with the Indian men’s team confirmed for a successful three-format tour from October 22 to December 1.
Team India will face the BLACKCAPS in five T20Is, five ODIs and two Tests, to be played across five major centres, and the 12 matches are the largest number of internationals scheduled for an incoming tour in NZC history.
The WHITE FERNS, who are currently in England preparing to defend their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup title, will host Bangladesh for three T20Is and three ODIs from December 10 to 23.
The series will be WHITE FERNS’ only home tour of the summer, with the inaugural ICC Women’s Champions Trophy (T20I) in Sri Lanka rescheduled for February, meaning the team’s planned tour of Australia in February-March 2027 will be rescheduled.
The BLACKCAPS host Sri Lanka in three ODIs, three T20Is and two Tests in late January and February to end the home international summer, with a much-anticipated four-Test tour of Australia scheduled for December and early January.
The 2026/27 NZC International Home Calendar was launched in style at the International Swaminarayan Satsang Organization (ISSO) in Papatoetoe on Wednesday 3 June, with WHITE FERNS spinner Eden Carson and BLACKCAPS home hero Ish Sodhi accompanied by members of the local community and the Honorable Mark Mitchell, Minister of Sports and Recreation.
The New Zealand Government will support the incoming tour of India along with adjacent sporting tours of India later this year, as we mark 100 years of sporting links between New Zealand and India.
The tour of India will also mark the return of Sky New Zealand, as host broadcaster for New Zealand Cricket international matches, under the new partnership for the next six seasons.
NZC Commercial and Marketing Director Glenn Critchley is delighted to confirm international cricket for Kiwis across the country.
“It’s going to be another exciting summer and we’re delighted to be able to bring 42 days of international cricket to New Zealand cricket fans in eight cities,” he said.
“We know how much the BLACKCAPS and WHITE FERNS love playing in front of their home crowd and I’m sure the New Zealand crowd will come out in force to support them.”
Critchley highlighted the India tour as a once-in-a-generation opportunity.
“When it comes to cricket, there is simply nothing bigger than India and we are determined to give New Zealanders a tour like no other.
“This will be more than just cricket on the field – it will be a celebration of New Zealand’s shared history and culture with India, and our growing rivalry and friendship through cricket.
“The passion and following this team has is amazing, not to mention some of the players expected to be on the tour such as Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah, so we are gearing up for the intensity and fandom that will accompany the tour.
“Experiencing the noise, color and atmosphere of an Indian international cricket match is a must-see event and I encourage the New Zealand public to take advantage of the opportunity to witness it first-hand.
“We expect all of these games to sell out, so we urge fans to register for their tickets during the pre-sale window to avoid disappointment.”
The BLACKCAPS and India have built an impressive rivalry in recent times, culminating in many iconic moments on the world stage.
The ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 semi-final began the modern rivalry as the BLACKCAPS defeated India in a two-day event in Manchester; Two years later, Kane Williamson’s men once again defied the odds to defeat India in the final of the 2021 ICC World Test Championship in Southampton.
India has regained the upper hand in ICC tournaments in recent years with wins over BLACKCAPS in the semi-final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 in Mumbai, the final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2024 in Dubai and, most recently, in the final of the ICC T20 World Cup in Ahmedabad in March.
To even the scales a bit, in 2024 the BLACKCAPS became the first team to whitewash India at home in a three-game Test series, and they backed it up in January this year by winning their first ODI series in India 2-1.
For BLACKCAPS’ leading T20I wicket-taker Ish Sodhi, the tour of India will be significant on many levels.
“It’s always a special occasion to play against India,” he said.
“They are an incredible cricket team, full of talent and star power, you know that every time you face them it will be a serious challenge. The rivalry we have built over the last few years is quite amazing and I am sure this tour will deliver many more big moments.”
“Then there are the Indian fans and the energy and noise they bring – it really is like nothing else and something everyone should experience at least once in their life.
“I’m so proud of my Indian heritage and to represent my community here in Papatoetoe today, literally around the corner from where I grew up, is great. Bringing my worlds and cultures together here in South Auckland is special and I can’t wait for the tour to kick off the summer back home.”
For WHITE FERNS spinner Eden Carson, summer can’t come quick enough after being sidelined with an elbow injury that required surgery in December last year.
“It’s been a challenging period and I’ve had to be patient with the injury,” Carson said.
“After missing the entire recent summer and the current tour of England, I am excited and motivated to get back on the park.
“Bangladesh is a team that is improving in women’s cricket and we know we will have to be on our game.
“Playing them in Nelson, Wellington and Tauranga before Christmas should be a great occasion and I’m sure the fans in those cities will come out once again and support the team.
“It’s exciting to have the first ICC Women’s Champions Trophy confirmed for February and the series against Bangladesh should provide a solid build-up to that tournament.”
Sky’s head of sports content Gary Burchett said he was delighted to start the new partnership successfully.
“Team India is the biggest show in world cricket, so this is a brilliant way to start Sky’s new era with New Zealand Cricket and our renewed coverage of BLACKCAPS and WHITE FERNS.
“This tour has scale, color, noise and authentic sporting theater. Our job is to meet that moment with expert coverage, strong storytelling and a broadcast experience that reflects the magnitude of the occasion.”
Christchurch’s Hagley Oval opens the tour of India with back-to-back T20Is on October 22 and 24 respectively, with Garden City hosting the second Test match starting on Friday, November 27.
Wellington has been awarded the first Test starting on Thursday, November 19 at Cello Basin Reserve, as well as a T20I and ODI to be held at the Hnry Stadium.
Auckland’s Eden Park and Hamilton’s Seddon Park hosted a T20I and ODI, while Tauranga’s Bay Oval will host games four and five of the ODI series.
Nelson’s Saxton Oval remains a popular venue for the WHITE FERNS who have received strong local support in recent years and will open the tour of Bangladesh with two T20Is on December 10 and 12.
The T20I series concludes at Cello Basin Reserve on December 15, which then hosts the start of the ODIs on December 18, before the one-dayers move to Bay Oval for games two and three on December 21 and 23 respectively.
The BLACKCAPS return to the home summer in mid-January against Sri Lanka with ODIs at McLean Park in Napier, Cello Basin Reserve and the University of Otago Oval in Dunedin.
The T20I series begins at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on January 26 and finishes with two daytime matches at Saxton Oval in Nelson on Friday, January 29 and Sunday, January 31.
A two-Test series concludes the home international summer with Bay Oval and Seddon Park hosting a Test each starting on February 4 and 12 respectively.
Sport Nation will once again be the free-to-air audio broadcaster of the NZC international summer, with the Alternative Commentary Collective covering BLACKCAPS matches across their digital channels.
With unprecedented ticket demand expected for the India tour, fans are encouraged to register with Cricket Nation for a members-only pre-sale in August.
Full NZC International Home Schedule 2026-27
