1st ODI Live Score: Focus on RoKo as India aim for winning start in Auckland
Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the India vs New Zealand 1st ODI at the Eden Park in Auckland.
Shubman Gill has been India's standout ODI batter over the last year, piling up 895 runs in 12 matches at an average of 111.87 and a strike rate of 118.70.
The Indian captain has struck three centuries and five fifties, with a career-best 223 not out against the West Indies in September.
That came after a 110 in the same series, while he had also struck 154 against Afghanistan earlier in the year. Gill heads into the New Zealand series in remarkable form and will be one of the biggest threats for the hosts.
India head into the series after winning their last ODI assignment against West Indies 2-1 at home. Shubman Gill’s side had a mixed run earlier in the year, losing their series in England 2-1, but the batting unit has shown plenty of promise.
Gill has been India's leading run-scorer in ODIs this year with 657 runs, while Virat Kohli has scored 552 and Rohit Sharma 461. Kohli and Rohit will be key figures again as India look to find the right combinations ahead of the 2027 World Cup.
With the 2027 ODI World Cup less than a year away, India's preparations are beginning to take shape. The timing makes this New Zealand tour particularly important.
India last played a five-match bilateral ODI series in 2018-19, ahead of the 2019 World Cup, and have no other such series scheduled before the next edition.
There are also questions to address around the pace attack, with Harshit Rana and Prasidh Krishna recovering from injuries and Jasprit Bumrah missing this tour. Shubman Gill and the team management have plenty to figure out, and this series offers a valuable chance to test combinations and identify the right personnel.
The World Cup countdown is officially on!
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are back in the spotlight as India begin their ODI campaign in New Zealand.
The Auckland crowd had already given Kohli a memorable welcome at the airport, and there is plenty of excitement around the two Indian greats.
This could even be the last opportunity for New Zealand fans to watch the duo play an ODI on home soil. After their emotional farewell in Australia, can Ro-Ko give the fans another memorable outing?
The wait is over. After the T20I action, it's time to switch formats as India take on New Zealand in the first ODI in Auckland.
And yes, you know who's going to be grabbing most of the attention. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are back in 50-over action, with Shubman Gill leading the side.
Settle in, grab your chai and join us for what promises to be an exciting start to the ODI series!
