Star-studded commentary panel for India tour of New Zealand announced, 3 Indian voices included

A star-studded commentary panel led by Ian Smith, Ravi Shastri, Stephen Fleming, and Sunil Gavaskar is set to cover India’s upcoming tour of New Zealand. The announcement came on Monday as Sky revealed its broadcast team to mark the return of Black Caps and White Ferns home internationals to the platform, having successfully reclaimed the regional broadcasting rights from TVNZ.

Gavaskar, Shastri, Bhogle to be part of commentary panel for India tour of NZ 

The men's series between India and New Zealand stands as the centerpiece of the Kiwi summer schedule, spanning five T20Is, five ODIs, and two Test matches from October 22 through December 1.

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For the white-ball leg, Ian Smith and former India head coach Ravi Shastri will lead a deep roster of experts including Simon Doull, Katey Martin, Ross Taylor, Tim Southee, Scott Styris, and Shane Bond. Newly appointed England Test coach Stephen Fleming will also feature in the booth during the T20 segment of the tour.

India's broadcast presence will shift across formats: while Shastri leads the coverage for the limited-overs games, legendary batsman Sunil Gavaskar and veteran commentator Harsha Bhogle will step in to headline the Test series. Additionally, Sky is expanding its regional reach by offering dedicated Hindi commentary for the entire tour through a strategic partnership with Sony Pictures Networks India.

Commentary panel for India Tour of New Zealand:

T20I's & ODI’s Commentators: Ian Smith, Ravi Shastri, Stephen Fleming, Simon Doull, Katey Martin, Ross Taylor, Tim Southee, Scott Styris, Shane Bond

Test's commentators: Ian Smith, Simon Doull, Sunil Gavaskar, Katey Martin, Harsha Bhogle, Scott Styris. 
Presenter: Laura McGoldrick

Meanwhile, ahead of the main international fixtures, India A will take on New Zealand A in a three four-day matches, starting from October 24. This leg serves as crucial preparation for the upcoming senior Test series, allowing key squad members and shadow players to acclimatize to local conditions before the top-tier fixtures begin.

The primary two-Test showdown is scheduled to get underway in Wellington on November 19, with the tour's final match taking place in Christchurch from November 27 to December 1.