Last Updated on 3 months ago by Charbel Coorey

Kotambi Stadium is set to host its first men’s international as New Zealand prepare to end India’s 22-day break from international cricket. The Black Caps are aiming to extend their nine-match ODI winning streak on Sunday, 11 January, in the city of Baroda. With several first-choice players missing for a variety of reasons, this presents an opportunity for the visitors to test some of their fringe players against an almost full-strength Indian side.

Match Details

• New Zealand tour of India, 2026: 1^st ODI.
• Time: 1:30 PM IST.
• Venue: Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara.

IND vs NZ 1st ODI 2026 Possible Playing XIs

India: 1. Rohit Sharma, 2. Shubman Gill (c), 3. Virat Kohli, 4. Shreyas Iyer, 5. Washington Sundar, 6. KL Rahul (wk), 7. Ravindra Jadeja, 8. Harshit Rana, 9. Arshdeep Singh, 10. Kuldeep Yadav, 11. Mohammed Siraj

Kristian Clarke will make his ODI debut for New Zealand.

New Zealand: 1. Devon Conway (wk), 2. Will Young, 3. Henry Nicholls, 4. Daryl Mitchell, 5. Glenn Phillips, 6. Michael Bracewell (c), 7. Josh Clarkson/Mitch Hay (wk), 8. Kristian Clarke, 9. Kyle Jamieson, 10. Zak Foulkes, 11. Jayden Lennox/Adithya Ashok

Kotambi Stadium Vadodara Pitch Report and Weather

The Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara will have perfect weather for cricket: pleasant temperature in the mid-20s with no rain. The pitch is expected to be a batter’s paradise, with plenty of runs on offer.

While the venue is yet to host a men’s international, Vadodara did stage the ODIs during West Indies Women’s tour of India in 2024. In the two day-night matches there, India’s seamers found assistance under lights and went on to win both games by big margins. Even in the nine knockout matches of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024/25, the team batting first won six times.

However, the current dew situation at the venue remains unclear. Teams would have assessed conditions during the practice sessions before the game. If there is dew, the captain winning the toss is likely to opt to bowl first.

Fantasy Cricket Tips for IND vs NZ 1st ODI 2026 – Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Top wicket-keeper picks:

• Devon Conway: Besides having a decent ODI record in India (527 runs, AVG: 43.91, SR: 105.82, 100s: 2), Conway’s recent form also appears promising, with some fluent batting in the SA20 and heavy scoring in the recent home Tests against West Indies. He is also the only top-order option among the wicketkeepers, making him the safest choice.

Key batter picks:

• Virat Kohli: His last six List A innings read: 77 (61), 131 (101), 65 (45), 102 (93), 135 (120), and 74 (81). Not much needs to be said beyond that.
• Rohit Sharma: India’s highest run-scorer in ODIs since the 2023 World Cup, Rohit has also looked in great nick, recently scoring two half-centuries against South Africa and a blazing 155 (94) against Sikkim in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
• Daryl Mitchell: The world’s No. 3-ranked ICC ODI batter and the backbone of New Zealand’s batting unit, he has no apparent weaknesses in this format, averaging over 40 against every bowling type in his career so far. He also boasts a tremendous ODI record in India, with nearly 600 runs at an average of 53.27 and a strike rate of 107.91.
• Shreyas Iyer: Set to return to international action after suffering a spleen injury in the Sydney ODI last year, Iyer has proven his fitness in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy with scores of 45 (34) and 82 (53), and remains an integral part of India’s ODI setup at number four.

Top all-rounder picks:

• Glenn Phillips: With several senior players absent, Phillips becomes crucial to the team and may even need to shoulder added responsibility by moving up from his usual No. 6 spot. That, combined with his more than handy part-time off-spin and sharp fielding in hot spots, makes him a very valuable fantasy asset.
• Michael Bracewell: He averages 46.5 at a phenomenal strike rate of 173.3 in the slog overs against pace (19 sixes and 16 fours), making him an unexpectedly dangerous hitter. India, however, will be well aware of his ability, having witnessed his stunning lower-order assault in the Hyderabad ODI in 2023, where he nearly snatched victory from the jaws of defeat with a blistering 140 off just 78 balls. That, coupled with his off-spin — which may not be the most effective against a right-hand–heavy Indian side but still carries the chance of sneaking in a wicket or two — and his high selection percentage, makes him tough to drop.

Key bowler picks:

• Kuldeep Yadav: An out-and-out wicket-taker, Kuldeep Yadav is extremely difficult to leave out of your fantasy team in ODI cricket. His matchups against Nicholls — whom he has dismissed three times in just 45 balls — and Glenn Phillips, who has his struggles against quality wrist-spin, further strengthen his case. He remains a strong pick, possibly even when bowling second in dewy conditions.
• Mohammed Siraj: With 42 wickets in 189 overs, Siraj remains the highest wicket-taker in ODI Powerplays since 2022 and has also shown excellent form in domestic cricket for Hyderabad. He could pose a threat to New Zealand’s top order, which tends to struggle relatively more against right-arm pace than left-arm pace.

Other Players to Consider for your Fantasy Cricket Team

• Shubman Gill: There is little doubt about Gill’s skill and ability, particularly in this format, where he averages 56.36 at nearly a run a ball. However, given that he is returning after a while and endured a wretched second half of 2025, he may not feature in the base fantasy team, though he remains a top option.
• Josh Clarkson: Clarkson enjoyed an excellent start to the summer in New Zealand, picking up 16 wickets at an economy rate of 3.87 and also smashing an 83-ball century vs Canterbury. Standing at 6’3”, he is tall enough to trouble batters, particularly on slightly seam-friendly wickets
• Jayden Lennox (bowling first): “Jayden has been an identified player of interest for some time and has some good New Zealand ‘A’ experience under his belt,” New Zealand head coach Rob Walter said of Lennox, who has picked up eight wickets in five Ford Trophy outings for Central Districts this season, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. A left-arm spinner with a high-arm release, Lennox could be effective against a right-hand-heavy Indian batting unit with a dry ball in the first innings.
• Kyle Jamieson (bowling second): Jamieson has the ability to swing the new ball and can be especially effective in helpful conditions under lights.
• Arshdeep Singh: A high-quality top-tail bowler who can swing the new ball both ways and also nail his yorkers at the death, he can definitely be selected if you can make space for him.

IND vs NZ 1st ODI 2026 Dream11 Prediction Today

Top safe C/VC options: Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Daryl Mitchell, Devon Conway

Top risky C/VC options: Shubman Gill, Josh Clarkson, Mohammed Siraj

I encourage you to build your own Fantasy XI using the insights provided in the article. Instead of giving you a ready-made team, I’ve offered a base team. Use it as a starting point to select the players you believe will lead you to victory!

Disclaimer: The fantasy cricket stats, tips and predictions provided on CricBlog are intended for informational purposes for Dream11 free contests in line with the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025. The stats and writer’s views are in place to guide fans in creating their teams. While we strive to offer accurate and insightful advice, CricBlog does not guarantee success or winnings in any fantasy contests. Users are encouraged to make their own informed decisions and play responsibly.

All statistics and matchups in this article have been verified by ESPNcricinfo, Bigbashboard and Cricmetric.