Kohli and Sharma chase World Cup redemption in New Zealand series
Kohli and Sharma chase World Cup redemption in a New Zealand ODI series starting Wednesday.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma begin their final World Cup campaign in New Zealand on Wednesday. They lead India in a five-match ODI series that will test their credentials for next year's World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Kohli and Sharma retired from Test cricket last year and quit T20 internationals after winning the 2024 World Cup. They seek a final fairytale ending after Australia knocked them out of the 2023 ODI World Cup final.
New Zealand is India's true nemesis: they beat India in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, won the Test Championship final in 2021, and swept a recent home Test series 3-0. Kohli has struck 552 runs in nine ODI innings this year at an average of 69 with a strike rate of 117.94.
New Zealand's bowling attack, led by Matt Henry and Kyle Jamieson, will test them on surfaces that have favoured bowlers in recent summers.
- 5 matches
- ODI series length
- Auckland's Eden Park
- Venue
- 69 in 9 innings
- Kohli's 2026 ODI average
- South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia
- Next World Cup hosts
Why it mattersThese warm-up matches show whether Kohli and Sharma can still deliver on the biggest stage, after two years struggling against moving balls.
AustraliaAustralian cricket fans will watch closely: India and Australia are the tournament favourites, and form in New Zealand sets the tone for next year's World Cup showdown.
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