New Delhi: India A will face New Zealand A in three four-day games from October 24 to November 10, just ahead of the two-match between both countries in late November.
The ‘A’ matches will coincide with the white-ball leg of the tour, which includes five T20I matches and five ODIs starting October 22 to November 15.
The first Test of the two-match series will begin on November 19 in Wellington, with the second scheduled for November 27 in Christchurch. The first ‘A’ match will start on October 24 in Lincoln, the second from October 31 to November 3 in Christchurch, and the third from November 7 to 10 in Lincoln.
The ‘A’ series will also run parallel with the domestic season of both countries. For Indian players, the series will clash with the Ranji Trophy, which begins on October 11, meaning that the cricketers who will tour New Zealand won’t be available for their domestic teams.
For New Zealand cricketers, the Ford Trophy (the 50-over tournament) will run from October 28 to November 12 before making way for the first-class Plunket Shield, which starts on November 19. Both teams will see the ‘A’ series as crucial preparation for the two-match Test series, which is important to qualify for the WTC final.
New Zealand are placed in third spot on the and are in a much better position than India. They will tour Australia in December-January, and also have series against Sri Lanka (at home) and against Pakistan (away) in the ongoing cycle. India are in the fifth position and will also face current table-toppers Australia at home for the five-match Test series in January-February to complete their assignments in the ongoing WTC cycle.
India tour of New Zealand 2026: Full schedule
India A
| Date | Match | Format | Venue |
| Oct 24-27 | 1st A Match | First-class | Lincoln |
| Oct 31-Nov 3 | 2nd A Match | First-class | Christchurch |
| Nov 7-10 | 3rd A Match | First-class | Lincoln |
India (Senior team)
| Date | Match | Format | Venue | City |
| Thu, 22 Oct | 1st T20I | T20I | Hagley Oval | Christchurch |
| Sat, 24 Oct | 2nd T20I | T20I | Hagley Oval | Christchurch |
| Tue, 27 Oct | 3rd T20I | T20I | Hnry Stadium | Wellington |
| Fri, 30 Oct | 4th T20I | T20I | Eden Park | Auckland |
| Sun, 1 Nov | 5th T20I | T20I | Seddon Park | Hamilton |
| Wed, 4 Nov | 1st ODI | ODI | Eden Park | Auckland |
| Sat, 7 Nov | 2nd ODI | ODI | Hnry Stadium | Wellington |
| Tue, 10 Nov | 3rd ODI | ODI | Seddon Park | Hamilton |
| Fri, 13 Nov | 4th ODI | ODI | Bay Oval | Tauranga |
| Sun, 15 Nov | 5th ODI | ODI | Bay Oval | Tauranga |
| Thu, 19 Nov – Mon, 23 Nov | 1st Test | Test | Cello Basin Reserve | Wellington |
| Fri, 27 Nov – Tue, 1 Dec | 2nd Test | Test | Hagley Oval | Christchurch |