On that trip I watched as the many people we met relished the opportunity to chat to, take photos with, or enjoy listening to Ross and his cricketing colleagues.
We are, of course, sports-mad in New Zealand and cricket has had a special place in our hearts for a long time. It is a part of the fabric and history of our country.
But in my observation, it does not rival the zealous passion that India has for the sport.
That passion is, in my view, quite unique globally. It grips the whole country in a way that is hard to imagine. So, when New Zealand cricket teams tour India, it’s a really big deal and opens the door to wider connections between us.
Add to that a significant broadcast audience with a concentration in India and even an international cricket match in regional New Zealand can do more for Brand NZ than any marketing campaign.
Put simply, cricket creates moments that bring us together, connect us, and builds a bridge between the two countries.
Later this year we will be celebrating that relationship and 100 years of sporting unity between New Zealand and India when the Indian side and other sports teams tour here.
At that time, we will be jointly reflecting on the roots of our sporting history when, in 1926, the Indian Army hockey team toured New Zealand, along with the many shared sporting moments since.
It will encompass a programme of events to celebrate our shared history, recent developments and the many future opportunities that lie ahead.
It will build on the recent Sport Leaders delegation to India led by the Honourable Chris Bishop, and the Memorandum of Co-operation signed between India and New Zealand last year, which confirmed a shared commitment to work more closely together through sport.
When we think about the free trade agreement, our minds may naturally turn to agriculture or tourism, but we should also consider the cricket, the business of sport and the sizeable market it represents. What has been a long, rich sporting history now turns into a fantastic opportunity.
India is one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing sports markets, with a strong fan base and increasing investment in sport, infrastructure and technology.
This was on show at the recent ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup final at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad between India and New Zealand. The stadium itself is one of the biggest in the world with a whopping seating capacity of 130,000 and the technology on display was also impressive.
For myself and the other Kiwis present it was an overwhelming experience and the atmosphere was electric. For the 1 billion-plus global broadcast audience, it was just as impressive.
It was a showcase of how sophisticated and significant cricket has become and, of course, reinforces why T20 cricket will be an official event at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
‘The baton has been passed by India to us, and we need to deliver in an exciting and truly Kiwi fashion.
Dame Therese Walsh
So how can we compete with that? Well, the simple answer is by being ourselves, and competing, and hosting in a uniquely Kiwi way.
It is also true that New Zealand is held in very high regard in India for its high-performance sport system, governance, community participation models and integrity frameworks.
There are many skills and world-class capabilities in New Zealand that are valuable – and this creates opportunities for our sports organisations, events and sport-related businesses.
Continuing to nurture and grow our sporting relationship with India is good for all of us and, whether it be through sports tours, business delegations, centenary celebrations or, of course, the historic visit of Prime Minister Modi, we can grow our shared vision for the place sport has alongside shared cultural and business relationships.
The next ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup will be hosted down under in Australia and New Zealand in 2028.
The baton has been passed by India to us, and we need to deliver in an exciting and truly Kiwi fashion. One thing we know for sure is that India will be watching and it will be another iconic moment in our shared sporting history.
Dame Therese Walsh is the chairwoman of the T20 Cricket World Cup 2028 and co-led the Prime Minister’s business mission to India with Ross Taylor in 2025.