The Indian cricket team is set to begin its three-match One Day International (ODI) series against New Zealand on January 11, with the opening encounter scheduled to be played at the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) Stadium in Vadodara. The New Zealand squad has already arrived in India, and anticipation is high for the series opener featuring some of the biggest names in world cricket.
The series marks the return of Indian stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who have retired from Test cricket and T20 Internationals and are now active only in the ODI format. Their presence adds significant star power to the contest and is expected to draw a packed crowd at the newly built venue.
Historic Match at a New Venue
The BCA Stadium in Vadodara will host its first-ever men’s international match. Built at a cost of approximately ₹200 crore, the state-of-the-art stadium has a seating capacity of around 40,000 spectators. The venue previously hosted a women’s international match between India and West Indies in 2024, but Sunday’s ODI will be its biggest test yet on the global stage.
Gill and Iyer Return to Action
Indian captain Shubman Gill is set to make his comeback after missing the ODI series against South Africa due to a neck injury. Vice-captain Shreyas Iyer, who was sidelined with an injury during the Australia tour, also returns to the squad. Iyer recently played two matches for Mumbai in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, scoring a half-century and showing promising form ahead of the New Zealand series.
Match Timings and Live Streaming
- Match Date: Sunday, January 11
- Venue: Baroda Cricket Association Stadium, Vadodara
- Toss Time: 1:00 PM IST
- Match Start: 1:30 PM IST
Cricket fans can watch the live telecast on the Star Sports Network, while live streaming will be available on JioHotstar.
Squads
India:
Shubman Gill (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer (Vice-Captain), Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal.
New Zealand:
Michael Bracewell (Captain), Aditya Ashok, Kristian Clarke, Josh Clarkson, Devon Conway, Jack Foulkes, Mitch Hay, Kyle Jamieson, Nick Kelly, Jayden Lennox, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Glenn Phillips, Michael Rae, Will Young.
With both teams boasting a strong blend of experience and youth, the opening ODI promises to be an exciting start to the series, as India look to assert dominance at home and New Zealand aim to make an early statement on Indian soil.
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