New Zealand vs India 1st ODI prediction, lineups and Eden Park pitch report — who will win?

As India reunites with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for the first of five matches at Eden Park, New Zealand aims to make the series challenging. Mitchell Santner leads a split squad that loses its red-ball players after the third game, while the hosts lack key players such as Rachin Ravindra, Mark Chapman, Jasprit Bumrah, and Prasidh Krishna.

New Zealand's recent form includes winning the last two meetings in January, whereas India leads the ODI head-to-head with 63 wins against India's 52 from 123 encounters, with eight games ending without a result. Historically, New Zealand has triumphed in seven of their last ten ODIs, while India secured five victories. Kohli has scored 854 runs in the past year, Gill has amassed 657, and Rohit has collected 607.

Daryl Mitchell, who has scored 741 runs against India since 2021, stands as the hosts' best hope. Without Bumrah, India's bowling appears to be at a disadvantage. However, the batting prowess of India's top order seems poised to edge the series in their favor. The Cricket News Prediction favors India to emerge victorious.