India will kick off its three-match ODI series against New Zealand on Sunday, January 11, at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara. The competition is highly significant in India's calendar as it is their last ODI before the IPL, as well as before gearing up for the 2026 T20 World Cup. The importance of the series has risen further with the return of senior batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who have performed well in domestic and international matches before donning Indian colors and may appear in ODIs only once before July this year. Senior Batters Back, Gill Leads the Side Rohit and Kohli looked in good shape in the eve of the match, having spent nearly one-and-a-half hours facing Indian fast bowlers in intense throw-down sessions. The two recently came off an excellent run in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and were continuing the trend in preparation for the New Zealand series. Gill will captain the team in the series, as it will be his first assignment since being left out of India's T20 World Cup squad. The series will provide Gill with the opportunity to regain his captaincy credentials in the 50-over format. Another major boost for the national squad after a long injury layoff is Shreyas Iyer, who went under recovery from a spleen injury sustained during the tour of Australia. Having missed the home series against South Africa, Iyer has found his match fitness in domestic cricket primarily and is anticipated to bolster India's middle order. New Zealand Have a Challenge for the Indian Conditions Perfect balanced squad with names like Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchell, and Glenn Phillips, New Zealand also come prepared under captain Michael Bracewell who's here to test India in friendly spin conditions across three venues. Also Read | Watch: RoKo Reloaded as Kohli, Rohit Prepare for NZ Challenge Match Timings, Venue and Live Streaming Details The first ODI will kick off at 1:30 PM IST followed by the toss at 1:00 PM IST. This will take place at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara. Fans can catch the live telecast of the India vs New Zealand ODI series on the Star Sports Network in India while online streaming will be available on JioHotstar app and the website.