NZ vs IND 2nd ODI Preview: Wellington Time in IST, Conway Out, Pitch and Key Battles

NZ vs IND 2nd ODI match details (IST)

• Fixture: New Zealand vs India, 2nd ODI (series: India lead 1-0)
• When: Saturday, 7 November 2026, 7:30 am IST (toss around 7:00 am IST)
• Where: Hnry Stadium / Wellington Regional Stadium (Sky Stadium), Wellington
• Series: Five-match Hero VIDA ODI series; next games follow after Wellington

India arrive from a five-wicket DLS win in Auckland, where Virat Kohli scored 74 off 51 and Anshul Kamboj took 2 for 22. New Zealand must respond at home without several first-choice options.

Team news: Conway ruled out for the rest of the ODIs

New Zealand Cricket confirmed on 6 November 2026 that Devon Conway is ruled out of the remaining ODIs against India after a concussion sustained while fielding in training on Tuesday (the collision that also kept him out of the 1st ODI).

• Nick Kelly, already picked for ODIs four and five, joins the Wellington squad as Conway's replacement
• Matt Henry, involved in the same fielding mishap, has been cleared of concussion
• Dale Phillips replaces Kelly in the New Zealand A side for the next unofficial Test against India A

Rachin Ravindra and Mark Chapman were already unavailable for the ODI leg, so New Zealand's batting depth remains thin. Tim Seifert opened in Auckland and top-scored with 38; expect debate over whether Kelly or another left-hand option comes in immediately.

India's winning XI from Auckland is likely to be close to unchanged, though Mohammed Siraj is available in the touring ODI squad if conditions demand an extra red-ball-style seamer. Captain Shubman Gill and KL Rahul are scheduled to leave the ODI group early later in the series for Test preparations — that does not affect Wellington.

Wellington conditions and what usually wins here

Wellington's stadium ground is typically a seam-friendly venue: early movement, useful bounce, and totals that reward disciplined new-ball bowling. Pacers have historically taken far more wickets than spinners at this ground in ODIs, and first-innings averages often sit in the mid-200s depending on the season sample — treat any single "average score" figure as a guide, not a prediction.

Forecast chatter around the fixture points to cool, cloudy weather with a chance of rain and high humidity, which can help the new ball swing. Dew can appear later if the chase runs under lights, so captains often prefer bowling first when the forecast is damp.

Key battles to watch

1. India's seam trio vs NZ's rebuilt top order — Arshdeep Singh (4 for 70 in the opener), Gurnoor Brar and Kamboj set the tone in Auckland. Without Conway, New Zealand need Will Young, Henry Nicholls and Daryl Mitchell to bat time.
2. Jacob Duffy vs Kohli / middle order — Duffy took three wickets in the chase, including Kohli and Iyer. On a bouncier Wellington surface, short-ball plans against Shreyas Iyer will be watched closely after Auckland debate.
3. Santner's control vs Gill and Rohit — Mitchell Santner captains the first three ODIs. If the pitch flattens, his middle-overs grip against Rohit Sharma and Gill becomes the choke point.

How to follow

Live scores will appear on Cover Drive's live strip and the series results page once the match is under way. Broadcast in India is expected on the Sony Sports Network / SonyLIV stack for this tour (confirm closer to toss).

Sources: NZC — Conway ruled out | Kelly called in (6 Nov 2026); 1st ODI scorecard for series context; venue character summarised from historical Wellington ODI trends (seam dominance), not from a single unofficial pitch report.