India vs New Zealand 1st ODI: Vadodara pitch report, key stadium stats

India begins their three-match ODI series against New Zealand today with confidence high, as a full-strength home side looks to assert dominance ahead of the T20 World Cup. Indian skipper Shubman Gill wins the toss for the match and invited New Zealand to bat first.

India vs New Zealand playing 11 for 1st ODI:  India's playing vs New Zealand: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill(c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna  New Zealand's first playing 11 vs India: Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Hay(w), Michael Bracewell(c), Zakary Foulkes, Kristian Clarke, Kyle Jamieson, Adithya Ashok 

Check the live score and match updates of India vs New Zealand first ODI here  All eyes will be on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, whose recent run-making in domestic cricket has reinforced their importance in the 50-over format. With form and fitness on their side, the senior duo are expected to anchor India’s batting as the hosts aim for a strong start to the series.

 

 

The spotlight will also be on skipper Shubman Gill, who will be eager to respond after missing out on T20 World Cup selection. His return is likely to push Yashasvi Jaiswal out of the top order, while the comeback of Shreyas Iyer should finally bring stability to the crucial No. 4 slot. KL Rahul’s continued role as wicketkeeper-batter. 

 

India’s bowling attack will be without Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya, placing added responsibility on Mohammed Siraj and the young pace trio. Spin duties will be shared by Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar on a surface expected to aid containment.

 

New Zealand arrive with a revamped squad led by Michael Bracewell, viewing this series as a testing ground for emerging players. Despite several absentees, the visitors retain enough batting depth to challenge India in what promises to be a competitive opener at the new Kotambi venue.

India vs New Zealand 1st ODI: Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara pitch report

The pitch at Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara, is expected to be flat and batting-friendly, offering true bounce that suits strokeplay and likely supports a high total first up. Early pace bowlers might get minimal assistance, but as the game progresses, spinners could extract slight turn. Conditions favour batters, so a strong score is likely with runs on offer through the innings.

India vs New Zealand: Head-to-head stats in ODIs in Vadodara

The India vs New Zealand ODI match on Sunday, January 11 will be the first-ever men’s ODI match to be played at Vadodara’s Kotambi Cricket Stadium.

Most recent ODI match in Vadodara

The last ODI match at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara was played in December 2024 between the Indian women’s team and the West Indies women’s team. Batting first in the match, West Indies were bundled out for just 162. In reply, India chased down the total with five wickets and 130 balls to spare. This also completed India’s 3-0 whitewash over West Indies in the series. 

Key ODI stats of Vadodara Stadium

The Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara will be hosting its first men’s ODI match on Sunday, as before this they had only hosted three women’s ODI matches between India and West Indies back in 2024. 

Stats	Details
Total Matches (ODI)	3
Batting 1st – Won	2
Batting 2nd – Won	1
Highest Total	358/5 – India Women vs West Indies Women (2024)
Lowest Total	103 all out – West Indies Women vs India Women (2024)
Highest Run Chase	167/5 in 28.2 overs – India Women vs West Indies Women
Lowest Total Defended	358/5 – India Women vs West Indies Women (2024)
Average 1st Innings Score	278
Average 2nd Innings Score	171