India are set to take on New Zealand in the first T20 International of the five-match series at Nagpur on Wednesday, marking their final bilateral assignment before the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. Led by Suryakumar Yadav, the Men in Blue will look to bounce back after losing the ODI series and fine-tune combinations ahead of the global event.
The series opener will be played at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, with fans expecting a competitive contest under lights.
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SKY Takes Charge in Final World Cup Rehearsal
Suryakumar Yadav steps in as captain for the T20I series, replacing Shubman Gill, as India focus on leadership stability and middle-order balance. The team, however, has suffered a setback with Tilak Varma and Washington Sundar ruled out due to injuries. Varma is recovering from an abdominal procedure, while Sundar continues to nurse a side strain.
Despite the absences, India still boast a strong core featuring Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Rinku Singh and Kuldeep Yadav, giving the side enough firepower and flexibility.
When and Where Is India vs New Zealand 2nd T20I?
The opening T20I between India national cricket team and New Zealand national cricket team will be played on Wednesday, January 21, 2026.
The match is scheduled to begin at 7:00 PM IST, with the toss set for 6:30 PM IST.
How to Watch India vs New Zealand 2nd T20I Live
Fans can live-stream the match on the JioHotstar app and website with an active subscription. Television viewers can catch the action live on the Star Sports Network channels.
VCA Stadium Pitch Report and Record
Nagpur’s VCA Stadium has been a regular international venue since 2009 and is known for offering a balanced contest. In recent years, the pitch has shown good bounce for pacers early on, while spinners tend to come into play as the match progresses.
India have won three of their five T20Is at this venue. The last T20I here was in 2022, when India defeated Australia by six wickets.
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India and New Zealand Squads
India: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (vc), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ishan Kishan (wk), Ravi Bishnoi.
New Zealand: Michael Bracewell (c), Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Henry Nicholls, Kyle Jamieson, Will Young, Nick Kelly, Josh Clarkson, Mitch Hay, Zak Foulkes, Adi Ashok, Jayden Lennox, Michael Rae, Kristian Clarke.
India vs New Zealand T20I Series Full Schedule
- Jan 21: 1st T20I – Nagpur – 7:00 PM
- Jan 23: 2nd T20I – Raipur – 7:00 PM
- Jan 25: 3rd T20I – Guwahati – 7:00 PM
- Jan 28: 4th T20I – Visakhapatnam – 7:00 PM
- Jan 31: 5th T20I – Thiruvananthapuram – 7:00 PM
With the World Cup just months away, both teams will be keen to use the series as a testing ground, making the Nagpur opener a crucial starting point.
