India cricket schedule 2026: After a mixed and up and down 2025, Indian men’s cricket moves into 2026 with almost no time to rest. The team will play matches all year across formats. There will be big tournaments at home and tough tours outside India. A home T20 World Cup, many bilateral series, and the build-up to the 2027 ODI World Cup will make this year very important.
The team will try to fix red-ball problems and also stay strong in white-ball cricket. Senior players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma may also be close to the final phase of their careers in big ICC events.
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New Zealand Series
India will start 2026 at home against New Zealand in January. The tour will have three ODIs and five T20Is. The ODI series will begin on January 11, while the T20 matches will start from January 21. These games will help the team test new players and combinations as the next World Cup cycle moves ahead.
Home T20 World Cup
Soon after, India will play the biggest event of the year. The T20 World Cup will take place in India and Sri Lanka during February and March. India will play as the defending champions after winning the title in 2024. The pressure will be high because the matches are at home. The Suryakumar Yadav-led team will play in Group A with Pakistan, USA, Netherlands, and Namibia.
IPL
After the T20 World Cup, action will continue with IPL 2026. The league is expected to run from late March to May 31. This means players will stay busy in T20 cricket without a break.
Afghanistan Matches
In June, India will host Afghanistan for three ODIs and one Test match. The Test match is special because it will be only the second Test between the two teams. The first one happened in 2018.
England Tour
July will bring an away tour to England. India will play five T20Is and three ODIs there. These matches could be important for senior players, as it may be one of their last tours of England in ODIs. In August, India will go to Sri Lanka for a two-Test series.
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Crowded Finish
September will be very busy. India will play three T20Is against Afghanistan, take part in the Asian Games in Japan to defend their gold medal, and also host the West Indies for three ODIs and five T20Is.
Overseas Test
In October, India will tour New Zealand for two Tests and three ODIs. New Zealand is one of the hardest places to play, so this series will be a major challenge. The year will end in December with a home series against Sri Lanka, with three ODIs and three T20Is.
