New Zealand launch special ODI jersey for India series, celebrating 100 years of sporting ties
New Zealand have unveiled a special limited-edition ODI jersey that the Black Caps will wear during their upcoming five-match one-day international series against India, marking 100 years of sporting connections between the two countries.
The new New Zealand ODI jersey for the India series 2026 brings together traditional Māori artwork and Indian cultural motifs, giving the team’s playing shirt a meaning that goes beyond cricket. Named the ‘Kotahitanga’ shirt, the design celebrates unity, shared history and the relationship between the two nations.
New Zealand Cricket (NZC) announced the special jersey on October 10, ahead of the team’s home international season. The India ODI series is scheduled to begin on November 4, with the Black Caps set to wear the limited-edition shirt during the matches. The launch adds a cultural dimension to a series that will also serve as an important preparation opportunity ahead of the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
New Zealand’s Kotahitanga ODI jersey blends Indian and Māori art
The standout feature of the new New Zealand cricket jersey is its combination of artistic traditions from both countries. Rather than relying on a conventional team-kit design, the shirt incorporates detailed patterns intended to represent the connections between communities, cultures and generations.
The word ‘Kotahitanga’ represents unity or togetherness. That meaning is central to the jersey’s design, which recognises the people who have helped build the sporting relationship between India and New Zealand over the past century.
Three artists, Ben Thomason, Shiv Narandas and Jai Pancha, collaborated on the project. Each brought a distinct cultural influence to the shirt, helping create a design that reflects both New Zealand’s Māori heritage and India’s artistic traditions.
According to New Zealand Cricket, the result is intended to celebrate the shared history and mutual respect connecting the two countries. The organisation also hopes the shirt will become a memorable item for supporters and collectors.
Lotus flowers and mandala patterns give the shirt an Indian identity
Indian cultural elements are among the most recognisable features of the new Black Caps jersey.
Artists Shiv Narandas and Jai Pancha incorporated three key motifs: the lotus flower, a repeating ogee pattern inspired by Indian architecture, and mandala artwork. Together, these elements provide a distinctive Indian identity while complementing the Māori patterns used elsewhere in the design.
The lotus is India’s national flower and carries deep cultural and symbolic associations. Its inclusion gives the jersey a direct connection to India, the country New Zealand will face during the upcoming ODI series.
The mandala introduces a symmetrical visual framework, while the architectural pattern adds another layer of Indian artistic influence. These motifs have been integrated with Māori design elements rather than treated as separate decorative features.
The result is a shirt that tells a story about the relationship between the two countries. For Indian cricket fans, the lotus and mandala details may be particularly noticeable, especially when the players take the field during the November matches.
Traditional Māori artwork honours generations of sporting connections
Ben Thomason, who has Māori heritage through Ngāti Raukawa ki Te Tonga, contributed traditional Māori-inspired artwork to the jersey.
His design incorporates kōwhaiwhai patterns, which are traditional Māori painted scroll designs, over a background of haehae lines. These elements help connect the visual identity of the shirt with Māori artistic traditions and cultural history.
The artwork also carries a deeper message. New Zealand Cricket explained that the patterns acknowledge the connection between living generations and those who have passed away, while honouring the people who helped establish and maintain the sporting relationship between the two nations.
That approach gives the jersey a purpose beyond its appearance on the field. It recognises the athletes, supporters, communities and people working behind the scenes who have contributed to the relationship over the years.
The collaboration between the artists also highlights how sport can provide a platform for cultural exchange. Cricket brings Indian and New Zealand supporters together, while the jersey uses design to express that connection in a visible way.
Why are India and New Zealand celebrating 100 years of sporting ties?
The centenary celebration has a history that extends beyond cricket.
The wider programme, known as ‘100 Years of Unity through Sport’, traces the sporting relationship between India and New Zealand to 1926, when an Indian Army hockey team toured New Zealand. That visit helped establish a sporting connection that has continued through different generations and across several sports.
Cricket has since become an important part of the relationship, with the two countries developing a long-running international rivalry. Their meetings have produced memorable matches across Tests, ODIs and T20 internationals, attracting significant interest from supporters in both countries.
The 2026 celebrations include a wider programme of sporting events, with cricket forming one of the main attractions. New Zealand are scheduled to host India for five T20 internationals, five ODIs and two Test matches during the tour.
The special Kotahitanga shirt therefore arrives at a significant moment in the relationship between the two cricketing nations. It links the upcoming matches with a broader story about sport, culture and people-to-people connections.
India vs New Zealand ODI series 2026: What fans should know
The five-match ODI series will begin on November 4, with New Zealand hosting India as part of its home international season.
The series is expected to be closely watched as both teams continue preparing for the 2027 ODI World Cup. New Zealand have named Mitchell Santner as captain and announced separate squads for the first three ODIs and the final two matches, allowing the team to manage workloads and assess different players.
The first group includes established names such as Devon Conway, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips and Rachin Ravindra. Finn Allen, Lockie Ferguson and Tim Seifert are among the players selected for the final two matches.
For New Zealand, the special jersey provides a striking backdrop to a competitive home series. For India, the tour offers another opportunity to test the squad against international opposition in New Zealand conditions.
The new shirt is also likely to attract attention from fans interested in cricket merchandise. Its limited-edition status and cultural design could make it appealing to collectors, particularly those who follow the Black Caps or have an interest in the history of India-New Zealand cricket.
Will Team India also wear a new jersey?
One question Indian supporters may have is whether the Indian team will introduce a special playing kit for the centenary celebrations.
As of October 11, 2026, no official announcement confirming a new India ODI jersey for this series has been identified. In the absence of such confirmation, fans should not assume that India will also wear a special centenary shirt.
The Indian team’s regular kit features the BCCI and Adidas branding, along with the sponsor branding applicable to the team’s official playing uniform. Any change to that design would need to be confirmed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
For now, the confirmed announcement concerns New Zealand’s limited-edition Kotahitanga shirt. Supporters should follow official BCCI and New Zealand Cricket channels for any further updates about playing kits, team announcements or merchandise.
A jersey that represents more than cricket
New Zealand’s new ODI jersey is a reminder that international sport can bring cultures together as well as produce competition on the field. By combining Indian motifs with traditional Māori artwork, the Kotahitanga shirt celebrates a century of sporting connections in a design that reflects both countries.
The upcoming India-New Zealand ODI series will still be decided by performances with bat and ball, but the special kit gives the contest an additional story for fans to follow. Whether supporters are interested in the artwork, the centenary celebrations or the cricket itself, the jersey offers a fresh talking point ahead of the November fixtures.
Stay tuned to ROKOCRICKET for the latest India vs New Zealand 2026 news, match schedules, squad updates and cricket stories. Subscribe to follow the biggest developments from the world of cricket, and let us know in the comments what you think of New Zealand’s new Kotahitanga ODI jersey.
