IND vs NZ: New Zealand unveil special jerseys ahead of India tour - Here’s why

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has unveiled a “limited-edition Kotahitanga ODI shirt” ahead of India’s tour of the country. India are scheduled to play five T20Is, five ODIs and two Test matches in New Zealand in October and November this year.

“Introducing the limited-edition Kotahitanga ODI shirt. A celebration of two cultures bound by their love of cricket. To commemorate 100 years of sporting ties between Aotearoa and India,” NZC said in a social media post while sharing a link to purchase the jersey.

The new shirt features lotus flowers and mandala designs and New Zealand are expected to wear the special jersey during the ODI series next month.

India and New Zealand’s sporting relationship began in 1926, when an Indian Army hockey team toured New Zealand. Their cricket rivalry started later, in Nov 1955, when New Zealand played the first of five Test matches in Hyderabad during their tour of India.

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“Artists Ben Thomason (Ngati Raukawa ki Te Tonga), Shiv Narandas (Gujarat), and Jai Pancha (Gujarat), collaborated on the shirt design which represents and intertwines both nation’s cultures,” NZC said in a statement.

“Thomason weaved Maori kowhaiwhai patterns over a background of haehae lines to connect the living with those who have passed, honour the people who built the bond between the nations, and celebrate what it means to players, fans and those behind the scenes."

“Narandas and Pancha used three Indian motifs as the unifying elements; the lotus – India’s national flower, a repeating ogee pattern drawn from Indian architecture, and the mandala to provide a symmetrical framework aligning naturally with Maori design systems.”

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Meanwhile, New Zealand have named Mitchell Santner as captain of a full-strength squad for the ODI series. The tour will begin with five T20Is from Oct 22, followed by five ODIs. The matches will also help both teams prepare for the 2027 ODI World Cup.

The BlackCaps will field their full-strength side in the first three ODIs before some players leave to prepare for the two-match Test series that follows. Left-handed all-rounder Rachin Ravindra is also set to return to action after missing the T20I squad due to an unusual injury he suffered during a promotional advertisement shoot for the series.