New Delhi, Nov. 11 -- India's Blue Tigers open a historic first senior men's tour of New Zealand this week with two FIFA international friendlies. The series, part of the '100 Years of Unity Through Sport' celebrations, pits Khalid Jamil's side against a World Cup-experienced All Whites team. New Zealand rank around 88th, while India sit near 138th.

The first game is on Thursday, November 12, at Go Media Stadium in Auckland, the home of A-League Men champions Auckland FC, with kick-off at 11:30 AM IST. The second match follows on Sunday, November 15, at One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch, starting around 8:30 AM IST. The squad assembled in Bengaluru on November 7, trained the next day, and flew out later that night.

The first frien...