Wellington Regional Stadium hosts the second ODI between India and New Zealand on November 7, 2026, and the venue carries uncomfortable memories for Rohit Sharma. Across two ODI appearances there, he has scored just 6 runs in total, averaging a mere 3.00 at the ground.
His first visit came on January 31, 2014, when Kyle Mills dismissed him for 4 off 13 balls. India were chasing 304 that day and managed only 87 runs in reply, with Virat Kohli’s 82 standing out as the lone bright spot in a heavy defeat.
The second appearance at the same ground arrived on February 3, 2019, during the fifth and final ODI of a five-match series. Rohit, who was captaining India that day, lasted just 16 balls before Matt Henry bowled him for 2. The early damage was severe: India slumped to 18 for 4 inside 10 overs. A recovery partnership between Ambati Rayudu, who scored 90, and Hardik Pandya, who contributed 45, helped India reach 252. New Zealand were then dismissed for 217, giving India a 35-run victory and sealing the series 4-1.
Rohit had also scored a six-ball duck in the rain-affected series opener at Eden Park, which India won to take a 1-0 lead in the current 2026 series.
What is Rohit Sharma’s overall ODI record against New Zealand?
Away from Wellington, Rohit’s numbers against New Zealand tell a considerably different story. In 14 ODI matches on New Zealand soil, he has accumulated 437 runs at an average of 36.41, including 4 fifties. He has, however, never converted any of those innings into a century in New Zealand.
Looking at his complete ODI record against New Zealand across all venues, Rohit has scored 1,134 runs from 32 innings at an average of 36.6, with 2 hundreds and 6 fifties to his name. The Wellington venue remains the one clear outlier in an otherwise solid body of work against this opposition.
What are the conditions like at Wellington Regional Stadium?
Wellington Regional Stadium is known for its shorter square boundaries alongside longer straight boundaries, a layout that can influence batting strategy and shot selection. The ground’s particular dimensions mean that scoring square of the wicket is generally easier, while driving straight demands more power and precision.
For Rohit, who has twice failed to reach double figures at this venue, the second ODI on November 7, 2026 presents a fresh opportunity to improve on a Wellington record that currently reads as his weakest against any single ground in New Zealand.
