The Black Caps, the cricket team of New Zealand, unveiled a unique ODI jersey on October 11, 2026. The name of the jersey is Kotahitanga, which commemorates a century of sporting relations between the two countries – New Zealand and India. The team will don this jersey in the initial ODI series consisting of five matches against India. This series will kick-off from November 4, 2026, at Eden Park, which is situated in Auckland. Kotahitanga is a word in Māori which means unity or togetherness.
The sporting relationship between the two countries started in the year 1926 when the Indian hockey team came to New Zealand for a tour. This marked a significant chapter in the sports history of both nations. There were three artists who collaborated to create the unique design of the special jersey, namely Ben Thomason from Ngāti Raukawa ki Te Tonga, and Shiv Narandas and Jai Pancha who come from Gujarat. The design represents the ideas from the three artists and marks the time-honored relations between the two countries.
“We’re absolutely wrapped with the design. The artists have created a beautiful balance between a distinct Māori design and a distinct Indian design that speaks to the bond between our nations. Sport underpins the unity between New Zealand and India, and we hope this shirt will be a collector’s item treasured by New Zealand and Indian cricket fans for years to come,” NZC Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer Glenn Critchley was quoted as saying by The Hindustan Times.
The tour of India and New Zealand will comprise twelve matches spanning the next few weeks. The first stage will consist of five T20I matches commencing from October 22 with the first match in Christchurch. Following the completion of the five T20Is, the ODI series of five matches will kick off on November 4 and will culminate in the two Tests.
The return of Australia’s players in the ODI squad is rather interesting. Rachin Ravindra missed the T20I matches but is returning to the ODI team after recovering from his shoulder injury. Finn Allen and Lockie Ferguson are also making their return to the ODI cricket after a gap of three years. Tim Seifert’s absence from ODI matches was for a period of eighteen months. There will be some shifts in team members once the first three ODIs are concluded.