India fantasy cricket 2026-27: every series in US time
Team India's season starts in New Zealand on October 22, and for US fans almost all of it is overnight cricket. After New Zealand come Sri Lanka in December, Zimbabwe in January, and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia from January 21. Here is every series with Eastern start times, and how to build a fantasy XI for each format.
India's 2026-27 schedule in US time
India tour of New Zealand — 5 T20Is
Oct 22, 24, 27, 30 and Nov 1, 2026 · Christchurch (2), Wellington, Auckland, Hamilton
3:00 AM ET (Nov 1: 2:00 AM ET, after the clocks change)
India tour of New Zealand — 5 ODIs
Nov 4–15, 2026 · New Zealand
Start times to be confirmed
India tour of New Zealand — 2 Tests
Nov 19 – Dec 1, 2026 · New Zealand
5:00 PM ET the evening before each day's play
Sri Lanka tour of India — 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is
ODIs Dec 13–19 · T20Is Dec 22–27, 2026 · India
ODIs 3:30 AM ET · T20Is 8:30 AM ET
Zimbabwe tour of India — 3 ODIs
Jan 3–9, 2027 · Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai
3:30 AM ET
Border-Gavaskar Trophy — Australia tour of India, 5 Tests
Jan 21 – Mar 3, 2027 · Nagpur, Chennai, Guwahati, Ranchi, Ahmedabad
11:00 PM ET the night before (Guwahati 10:30 PM)
Everything else on the cricket calendar, from the Big Bash to the IPL, is on the US cricket calendar.
Building your XI by format
- T20Is. Twenty overs a side, so top-order batters face the most balls and are the steadiest captain picks. Death-over bowlers pick up wickets when the batting side is swinging. In New Zealand, the 3:00 AM start means locking your team before bed.
- ODIs. Fifty overs give a set batter time to build a big score, so a top-three batter is a strong captain. Front-line bowlers bowl up to ten overs and get more chances at wickets than in a T20.
- Tests. Multi-day matches reward players who bat long and bowl lots of overs. In India, spinners usually bowl the most overs as the pitch wears, which matters for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy; in New Zealand, seamers tend to do more of the work.
New to the format? Start with the fantasy cricket guide or the glossary.
Overnight cricket, made easy
When the first ball is at 3:00 AM, the toss and confirmed XIs land while most US fans are asleep, and there is no late swap. Build from the probable XIs the evening before, pick a captain who is sure to play, and check the result in the morning. For the Tests, the 11:00 PM Eastern starts in India mean the first session is watchable before bed.
Playing on Runtiva
Runtiva runs fantasy cricket contests on match days for the competitions listed in the app. Free contests are open wherever Runtiva operates; paid contests are only in eligible states, so see where you can play and how cash contests work. Watching with friends? Run a private contest for your group.
Frequently asked questions
What time do India's matches start in the US?
Most of India's 2026-27 matches are overnight in the US. The New Zealand T20Is start at 3:00 AM Eastern (2:00 AM on November 1, after US clocks change), the Tests in New Zealand start around 5:00 PM Eastern the evening before, the home ODIs against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe start at 3:30 AM Eastern, the Sri Lanka T20Is at 8:30 AM Eastern, and the Border-Gavaskar Tests at 11:00 PM Eastern the night before.
When is the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India?
Australia tour India for five Tests from January 21 to March 3, 2027, in Nagpur, Chennai, Guwahati, Ranchi and Ahmedabad. Play starts around 11:00 PM Eastern the night before each day.
How does fantasy cricket work for India matches?
Pick an XI from both squads under a fixed budget, then name a captain (2× points) and vice-captain (1.5×). Points come from runs, boundaries, wickets, economy and fielding. Lineups lock before the first ball, so check the toss and confirmed XIs first.
Can I play India fantasy cricket on Runtiva?
Runtiva runs fantasy cricket contests on match days for the competitions listed in the app, using the same format with a captain and vice-captain. Free contests are available everywhere Runtiva operates; paid contests are only in eligible states.