India begin 2027 World Cup preparations in Auckland with Shubman Gill as captain
India, captained by Shubman Gill, begin a five-match ODI series against New Zealand at Eden Park in Auckland on November 4, with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma included in the Indian lineup. The series has been billed as a preparatory assignment ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup.
New Zealand Cricket extended the contest from three to five matches at their request, and the fixture list provides India an opportunity to test combinations with the 2027 tournament in South Africa in mind. The hosts defeated India 2-1 earlier this year in an ODI contest, and Eden Park’s conditions have been cited as useful for India’s preparation for South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Mitchell Santner’s side will be missing several players: Mark Chapman and Rachin Ravindra are ruled out, while Devon Conway will not play the opening match after sustaining a concussion following a training-ground collision with Matt Henry. Tim Seifert has been named as Conway’s replacement.
India will also be without key personnel, with Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya unavailable for the series. Captain Shubman Gill, KL Rahul and Nitish Kumar Reddy are scheduled to appear only in the initial matches before leaving for other commitments, which will require India to reshuffle their squad and leadership group for later games.
Shubman Gill has said the top four is settled, but India continue to search for a middle-order solution; the team could experiment with Axar Patel as a floater and consider KL Rahul at No. 5. The bowling combination is under review in Bumrah’s absence, and Hardik Pandya’s unavailability adds further selection complexity.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli remain the headline attractions for the series; the extension to five matches was attributed to the commercial draw of the two senior batters. Rohit has not yet scored an ODI century in New Zealand, and the series is being viewed as an opportunity for younger players to press their claims for places in the World Cup squad.
The pitch for the first game is expected to present a different challenge than the surface used for the recent T20I series, which could bring both batters and bowlers into the contest. With limited time before the World Cup, performances across the five matches are being treated as notable chances to assess combinations.
The first ODI at Eden Park on November 4 opens the five-match series between New Zealand and India, which both sides intend to use as preparation for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
