• Home
  • Cricket
  • One Day International Cricket
timer

This preview has expired.

See all our latest betting tips or suggested betting sites

left arrow right arrow

India vs New Zealand 1st ODI Predictions - Kohli to crush the in-form Kiwis

Simon Lewis
Editor
Last updated: 10 Jan 2026

With India's strong recent form, including a 2-1 series win over South Africa, they are well-positioned against a New Zealand team lacking some key players. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's impressive batting form further bolster India's chances. Meanwhile, New Zealand has achieved recent series victories but faces tough competition given their weakened squad. In addition to Kohli, Glenn Phillips and Henry Nicholls are key New Zealand players. India's formidable batting lineup and home advantage give them an edge. Kohli is expected to shine as the top scorer for India.

Share
Simon Lewis 10 Jan 2026
Share this article
Or copy link
success image
Copy
  • Virat Kohli scored 135, 102 and 65* in the series against the Proteas.
  • Glenn Phillips has scored 94, 29, 24 & 90* in his last six innings.
  • Can India maintain their winning record over New Zealand?
Expired
Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli plays down to third against South Africa (Getty Images).

India vs New Zealand Predictions


India come into the series on the back of a 2-1 ODI series defeat to Australia followed by a 2-1 win over South Africa. New Zealand have enjoyed three comprehensive series wins in a row, but with a weakened squad they are unlikely to pose much of a threat to India.

  • India’s Virat Kohli has scored 135, 102, 65*, 131 & 77 in his last 5 innings.
  • India’s Rohit Sharma has scored 57, 75 & 155 in his last 5 innings.
  • New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips scored 90* off 48 balls against Central Districts.
  • New Zealand’s Henry Nicholls has scored 111, 109*, 226 & 22 in his last 7 innings.

Head-to-Head


India have won their last five ODIs against New Zealand.

India Form


India made it three wins from their last four ODIs when they beat the Proteas by nine wickets with over 10 overs to spare. 

Virat Kohli is in exceptional form and is expected to maintain his impressive run-scoring in the series against New Zealand. He finished as India's highest ODI run-scorer in 2025 (651 runs), with three centuries and four 50s. Their top order is heavy with runs in the shape of Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul. Yashasvi Jaiswal scored 116* in the deciding ODI win over South Africa, but he is likely to be on the sidelines as Shubman Gill is usually favoured over him… which is a great selection headache to have.

Kuldeep Yadav (4/41) and Prasidh Krishna (4/66) did the damage in the 3rd ODI against South Africa, while Arshdeep Singh was the most economical of their bowlers, his 8 overs going for 36 runs (econ 4.50). Harshit Rana and Mohammed Siraj have both been taking wickets in domestic cricket.

New Zealand Form


New Zealand made it three wins from their last four ODIs when they beat South Africa by nine wickets to clinch their ODI series 2-1. 

Glenn Phillips and Henry Nicholls are likely to be New Zealand’s top contributors with the bat. Daryl Mitchell scored 119, 25 and 11 in his last three knocks against the West Indies, while Devon Conway showed some good form in the SA20. Michael Bracewell has scored 35, 40*, 47 and 24 in his last five innings. Nick Kelly scored 111 and 95* for Wellington in his last five knocks.

Kyle Jamieson is enjoying a great run of form, and his ability to nip the ball back and bowl aggressively has resulted in his making a lot of early breakthroughs for New Zealand. Jayden Lennox took 3/29 against Canterbury. Michael Rae took 3/66, 3/45 and 2/89 in the two Tests against the West Indies, but the rest of the attack is young and inexperienced.

India & New Zealand Team News


India have brought back Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer and Mohammed Siraj, in place of Tilak Varma, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Dhruv Jurel, who all played against the Proteas. Varma is also suffering from an injury that will keep him out of the T20I series against New Zealand.

New Zealand have named something of a second-string squad as they keep an eye on the upcoming T20 World Cup. They enjoyed a clean sweep of all three ODI series they have played since losing to India in the Champions Trophy final. They enjoyed 3-0 series wins over Pakistan, England and the West Indies, but India at home is sure to be a far tougher prospect… especially with an in-form Virat Kohli squaring up against them.

India (predicted XI): Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (w), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj.

New Zealand (predicted XI): Devon Conway (w), Henry Nicholls, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell (c), Glenn Phillips, Zak Foulkes, Kyle Jamieson, Adithya Ashok, Michael Rae, Jayden Lennox

Verdict

I am backing India to win. I am also backing Virat Kohli to top score for India.

Glenn Phillips is a good bet to top score for New Zealand.
    
Best Bet1: Virat Kohli Best India Batter $3.60 at betway - 2 Units
Best Bet2: Rohit Sharma Score 30+ Runs $2.50 at TicTacBets - 1 Unit
Best Bet3: Glenn Phillips Best New Zealand Batter $6.50 at 10bet - 1 Unit
Best Bet4: Kyle Jamieson Take 2+ Wickets $2.50 at Hollywood bets - 1 Unit
Virat Kohli
Best India Batter
$3.60 - 2 Units
R10 Free Bet & 10 Aviator Flights
with promo code BETS

Join betway South Africa with promo code BETS and get access to a welcome package that includes 10 Free Spins on 12 Masks of Fire DrumsTM, 10 Free Flights on Aviator and a R10 Free Bet. T&Cs apply. No persons under the age of 18 years are permitted to gamble. Winners know when to stop. National Responsible Gambling Programme: 0800 006 008. Warning: Gambling involves risk. By gambling on this website, you run the risk that you may lose.

Bet at betway
Rohit Sharma
Score 30+ Runs
$2.50 - 1 Unit
100% up to R5,000 + 50 spins
Use promo code NEWBONUS

Register using the code NEWBONUS to claim the best bonus on Tic Tac Sports Betting. 18+. T&Cs apply.

Bet at TicTacBets
Glenn Phillips
Best New Zealand Batter
$6.50 - 1 Unit
Deposit R3,000 Get R3,000
100% bonus up to R3,000

Your first deposit at 10bet should be of at least R20. Get 100% up to R3,000 Bonus to bet on sports or games. New customers only. 18+ T&Cs and wagering requirements apply. To activate the bonus, select it from the cashier.

Bet at 10bet
Kyle Jamieson
Take 2+ Wickets
$2.50 - 1 Unit
R25 + 50 spins
Sign up bonus

Get a R25 sign up bonus + 50 free spins once your Hollywoodbets account is activated. T&Cs apply.

Bet at Hollywood bets

Pages related to this topic

Top ODI Betting Sites ODI News & Betting Tips

Top Betting Sites

special-offer-1Betting offers

Upcoming Events

19 January 2026

  • South Africa vs Tanzania -
  • Cricket
  • Afghanistan vs West Indies -
  • Cricket
  • Paarl Royals vs Joburg Super Kings -
  • Cricket

20 January 2026

  • Perth Scorchers vs Sydney Sixers -
  • Cricket

20 February 2026

  • T20 Cricket World Cup 2026 -
  • Cricket
Load More
11 Jan 2026

India v New Zealand 1st ODI

bonus image
Copyright © 2026 All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited. Players must be 18 or over and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Please play responsibly. Bet with your head, not over it. Know when to Stop. Gamble responsibly and Think about your choices. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: gamcare.org.uk (UK), 800gambler.org (US), or gamblinghelponline.org.au (Australia). Gambling is addictive 18+. #Ads © 2026 bets.co.za