This T20 series is extremely important for Team India as they prepare for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026. The matches will help the team management test combinations and identify players for the global event.
IND vs NZ 1st T20I_Playing11 Weather Report Pitch Report Head to Head (Image Credits : X)
IND vs NZ T20: India and New Zealand are set to clash in an exciting five-match T20 International series, starting with the 1st T20I on 21 January, 2026. The series begins right after India’s 1-2 defeat in the three-match ODI series and marks the start of the shorter-format leg of New Zealand’s tour of India.
This T20 series is extremely important for Team India as they prepare for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026. The matches will help the team management test combinations and identify players for the global event.
Team India has already started arriving in Nagpur ahead of the first T20I. Wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson and big hitter Rinku Singh reached the city early to train and get familiar with the conditions at the VCA International Stadium.
Under the captaincy of Suryakumar Yadav, the Indian team has been practicing at the venue, focusing on strategies, team balance, and match-winning combinations for the five-match series.
Abhishek Sharma
Sanju Samson (WK)
Ishan Kishan
Suryakumar Yadav (C)
Hardik Pandya
Axar Patel
Shivam Dube
Kuldeep Yadav
Arshdeep Singh
Jasprit Bumrah
Varun Chakravarthy
India is set to make a big change in their team. Captain Suryakumar Yadav has confirmed that Ishan Kishan, who replaced Shubman Gill in the squad, will bat at No. 3. This change comes as Tilak Varma is ruled out of the first three matches due to abdominal surgery.
All eyes will also be on Suryakumar Yadav’s form. The India T20 captain scored only 218 runs in 21 T20 matches in 2025, with an average of less than 14. He will be hoping for a strong turnaround in the new year. Meanwhile, Sanju Samson is expected to open the innings with Abhishek Sharma. After replacing Gill at the top, Samson will need to continue his good form.
There is no chance of rain. The weather is expected to remain slightly cloudy, with the evening temperature likely to be between 14 and 18 degrees Celsius, according to AccuWeather. The match will start at 7 PM, and the team winning the toss may choose to bowl first to reduce the impact of dew.
The Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium has red-soil pitches, which usually offer good bounce and pace early in the game. Fast bowlers are likely to be effective during the powerplay. However, it is not a very high-scoring venue, and spinners can play a key role later in the match. In T20s, the average first-innings score at Nagpur is usually between 160 and 180.
India and New Zealand have played just one T20 match against each other at the Vidarbha Cricket Association in Nagpur, back in 2016. New Zealand beat India by 47 runs in that match.
India has so far played five T20I matches at this venue, out of which they have won four and lost one. Their only loss came agiants New Zealand in 2016.
New Zealand have played just one T20I match at the Vidarbha Cricket Association in Nagpur. The match was against India, and they emerged victorious by 47 runs.
