As India enters 2026, the men’s senior cricket team is set to face a packed calendar featuring high-stakes ICC tournaments and intense bilateral rivalries. From co-hosting the T20 World Cup to a full white-ball tour of England, the year is designed to test India’s depth across all formats in the Gentlemen’s Game. The Indian Premier League (IPL), as usual, will be in the spotlight even as a few icons of the game bid adieu to the tournament. Cricket’s return to the Asian Games also makes the continent event special, with the Indian team’s participation set to add a layer of intrigue and spice to the quadrennial event, to be played in Japan.
Team India’s Full Cricket Schedule For 2026:
New Zealand Tour of India
For India, the year kicks off at home with an eight-match limited-overs series against New Zealand. The series serves as the primary preparation window for the T20 World Cup.
ODIs:
- 11 Jan: 1st ODI – Vadodara
- 14 Jan: 2nd ODI – Rajkot
- 18 Jan: 3rd ODI – Indore
T20Is:
- 21 Jan: 1st T20I – Nagpur
- 23 Jan: 2nd T20I – Raipur
- 25 Jan: 3rd T20I – Guwahati
- 28 Jan: 4th T20I – Visakhapatnam
- 31 Jan: 5th T20I – Thiruvananthapuram
- ICC Men’s T20 World Cup (February – March)
The marquee event will be played from 7 February to 8 March as India and Sri Lanka will co-host the 10th edition of the T20 World Cup. With the advantage of familiar subcontinental conditions, the Men in Blue will be under immense pressure to retain the trophy on home soil, especially after the ODI World Cup failure a couple of years ago.
IPL 2026 (March – May)
The Indian Premier League remains the centrepiece of the summer. For two months, international duties will take a back seat as the world’s best players converge for the richest franchise tournament in the sport.
Following the IPL, India will return to international action with a mix of red and white-ball cricket.
Afghanistan in India (June): A short series consisting of a one-off Test match and three ODIs.
India tour of England (July): A high-profile white-ball tour featuring five T20Is and three ODIs.
- T20Is: 1 July (Chester-le-Street), 4 July (Manchester), 7 July (Nottingham), 9 July (Bristol), 11 July (Southampton).
- ODIs: 14 July (Birmingham), 16 July (Cardiff), 19 July (Lord’s).
In the months of August and September, India will travelling to neighbouring nations.
Tour of Sri Lanka (August): A two-match Test series. These fixtures are crucial for the World Test Championship (WTC) standings.
Tour of Bangladesh (September): A tour featuring three ODIs and three T20Is, fulfilling a previously postponed assignment.
Asian Games (September 19 – October 4)
Cricket returns to the Asian Games in Japan. While the senior squad may be busy with bilateral duties, India is expected to field a competitive T20 side.
Afghanistan & West Indies in India: A busy late-monsoon window will see Afghanistan return for three T20Is, followed by a full series against the West Indies (3 ODIs and 5 T20Is).
India will finish the year with an overseas tour of New Zealand and a final home series against Sri Lanka.
Tour of New Zealand (October – November): A full-scale tour featuring two Tests, three ODIs, and five T20Is. Playing in New Zealand conditions right before the Indian winter will be a stern test for the batting unit.
Sri Lanka in India (December): The 2026 calendar concludes at home with three ODIs and three T20Is against the Lions.
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