Virat Kohli grabbed the spotlight with a stunning one-handed catch as India dominated New Zealand in the first ODI at Eden Park, Auckland, on November 4, 2026. Arshdeep Singh, Anshul Kamboj and Gurnoor Brar delivered impressive bowling performances, with Arshdeep claiming four wickets and Brar taking three to put the hosts under pressure.

India captain Shubman Gill won the toss and chose to bowl first. His decision worked well as the Indian bowlers took regular wickets and stopped New Zealand from building strong partnerships.

India vs New Zealand 1st ODI 2026: Match Overview

India made a strong start to the five-match ODI series with disciplined bowling and sharp fielding. New Zealand struggled against India’s pace attack despite some resistance from Tim Seifert, Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips. Blair Tickner also contributed with a quickfire 34 towards the end of the innings. Here are the key match details:

• Match: India vs New Zealand, 1st ODI
• Date: November 4, 2026
• Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
• Toss: India won and chose to bowl
• New Zealand Score: 185 all out (40.2 overs)
• Top Indian Bowler: Arshdeep Singh – 4/70
• Match Status: India began their chase of 186

India vs New Zealand Playing XI

Here are the playing XIs for the first ODI between India and New Zealand.

India Playing XI:

Shubman Gill (c), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul (wk), Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Auqib Nabi, Gurnoor Brar and Arshdeep Singh.

New Zealand Playing XI:

Tim Seifert, Will Young, Henry Nicholls, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (wk), Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner (c), Nathan Smith, Kyle Jamieson, Jacob Duffy and Blair Tickner.

Virat Kohli Takes a Stunning One-Handed Catch

Virat Kohli produced one of the most exciting moments of the India vs New Zealand 1st ODI when he took a brilliant one-handed catch at second slip. The moment came in the 29th over when Anshul Kamboj bowled to Nathan Smith. Smith edged the ball towards the slip cordon, where Kohli reacted quickly and completed a stunning one-handed catch.

The catch left the New Zealand batter stunned and gave Kamboj his second wicket. Smith departed for just one run, leaving New Zealand struggling at 115/7.

Kohli celebrated the dismissal with his usual energy and an animated reaction towards his teammates. The Indian star later took another catch at slip to dismiss Kyle Jamieson off Arshdeep Singh’s bowling. His excellent fielding played an important role in India’s strong performance.

Arshdeep Singh Takes Four Wickets Against New Zealand

Arshdeep Singh led India’s bowling attack with an impressive four-wicket spell. The left-arm fast bowler gave India their first breakthrough in the fifth over when he dismissed Will Young for nine runs. Young attempted a pull shot but sent the ball into the air, allowing Shreyas Iyer to complete the catch.

Arshdeep struck again in the ninth over. He bowled a sharp short delivery to Henry Nicholls, who pulled the ball towards square leg. Naman Dhir completed the catch, sending Nicholls back for nine.

Later, Arshdeep removed Kyle Jamieson for one run, with Kohli taking a slip catch. He also picked up another wicket towards the end of the innings. Arshdeep finished the innings with figures of 4/70 in 10 overs.

His early wickets helped India control the match and put New Zealand under pressure.

Anshul Kamboj Dismisses Mitchell Santner and Nathan Smith

Anshul Kamboj also impressed with his accurate bowling against New Zealand. He dismissed New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner in the 27th over. Santner attempted to defend the delivery, but the ball went past his bat and hit the stumps. Santner scored just four runs.

Kamboj then removed Nathan Smith with the help of Kohli’s outstanding one-handed catch. The young pacer finished with figures of 2/22. His economical bowling kept the pressure on New Zealand’s middle and lower order.

Gurnoor Brar Takes Three Important Wickets

Gurnoor Brar strengthened India’s position by dismissing Tim Seifert, Tom Latham and Blair Tickner.

Seifert looked dangerous after scoring 38 runs from 43 balls. Brar kept the pressure on New Zealand with a well-directed short ball that forced Tim Seifert into a mistake. Substitute fielder Ruturaj Gaikwad took the catch and ended Seifert’s innings.

Brar then removed Tom Latham for just three runs, taking a brilliant one-handed catch with his left hand during his follow-through. He also dismissed Blair Tickner to complete his three-wicket haul. Tickner was caught behind by KL Rahul after scoring 34 runs from 21 balls.

These three wickets came at the right time for India, helping them restrict New Zealand to 185.

Rohit Sharma’s Brilliant Run-Out Removes Daryl Mitchell

Rohit Sharma showed that he can still make a big difference in the field. During the 22nd over, Glenn Phillips pushed the ball towards the leg side and called Daryl Mitchell for a quick single.

But Rohit was ready. He dived to collect the ball and quickly threw it towards the striker’s end. KL Rahul gathered the throw and removed the bails before Mitchell could make it back.

Mitchell had to walk off after scoring 28 runs from 41 balls, with New Zealand struggling at 97/5. It was an important moment for India, as Mitchell was trying to settle in and help New Zealand build a partnership.

New Zealand Batting Collapse in the First ODI

New Zealand had a tough time against India’s bowlers. Tim Seifert gave the team some hope with 38 runs, while Daryl Mitchell contributed 28 runs. However, regular wickets prevented the hosts from building strong partnerships.

Glenn Phillips offered some resistance with 30 runs, but Blair Tickner provided a late boost with a quickfire 34 off 21 balls. Jacob Duffy also contributed 15 runs.

India’s bowlers maintained pressure throughout the innings. Kohli’s stunning catch and Rohit’s quick run-out made things even harder for the home team.

New Zealand were eventually bowled out for 185 in 40.2 overs. Arshdeep Singh finished with four wickets, while Gurnoor Brar claimed three and Anshul Kamboj picked up two.

Eden Park Pitch Report and Weather Conditions

Overcast conditions greeted the teams ahead of the first ODI in Auckland. India captain Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to bowl first, hoping to make the most of the conditions.

Eden Park is known for producing some good batting contests, but things didn’t go New Zealand’s way this time. India’s bowlers made the most of the conditions and kept taking wickets.

Arshdeep Singh also acknowledged that the surface offered good assistance to the bowlers. India’s pace attack used the short-ball strategy effectively, forcing New Zealand’s batters into mistakes.

India gave its fans plenty to celebrate with some excellent bowling and fielding against New Zealand. Planning to travel abroad for an upcoming cricket match? Check out Indian Eagle deals on international flights to find affordable fares and make your cricket trip more budget-friendly.

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