The stage is set for an electrifying five-match T20I series India greets New Zealand to the Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) Stadium in Nagpur. With weeks to go before the 2026 T20 World Cup, the series serves as a critical final training session for both teams to strengthen their tactical combinations and player roles.
India are looking for a comeback after entering the T20I leg 1-2 loss in the recently concluded ODI series. under his leadership Suryakumar YadavIndia’s T20 side has been strong but all eyes will be on the captain himself as he looks to get out of a rare lean patch with the bat. return of Hardik Pandya and jasprit bumrah providing much-needed balance and firepower to the missing support Tilak Varma and Washington Sundar due to injuries.
New Zealand, Captain Mitchell Santnercomes in high spirits after historic victories in the longer formats on this tour. It has an all-round section featuring explosive shots like the Kiwis Find Allen and versatile all-rounder Rachin Ravindra. As they face its absence Michael Bracewell and Adam Milne (niggles), their ability to adapt to Indian conditions makes them a formidable threat.
IND vs NZ 1st T20I: Probable Playing XI
India: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Suryakumar Yadav (c), Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh.
New Zealand: Finn Allen, Devon Conway (wk), Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Lockie Ferguson, Ish Sodhi, Ben Lister
Also READ: 3 main reasons why India lost the ODI series against New Zealand
Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium Pitch Report
Nagpur is traditionally known as a slow and low surface, which helps spinners and pace bowlers who rely more on cutters and changes than raw pace. Shots can be tricky early on, timing doesn’t always come easy. However, with heavy dew expected during the second innings, conditions are expected to lighten considerably and the batting is expected to be smoother. As a result, the captain who wins the toss is expected to choose to bowl first to take advantage of tougher initial conditions and more favorable chase conditions later in the game.
Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium Stats and Records
- Total Matches: 12
- Matches won in first innings: 8
- Matches won in bowling: 4
- Average score in 1st innings: 146
- Average score in 2nd innings: 125
- Most recorded common: 215/5 (20 Overs) Sri Lanka vs India
- The lowest total recorded was: 79/10 (18.1 Ovs) India v New Zealand
- Highest Score Pursued: 123/7 (19.4 Ovs) for West Indies vs South Africa
- Lowest score defended: 123/7 (20 Ovs) for Afghanistan vs West Indies
Also READ: End of the road for Ravindra Jadeja in ODIs? A deep dive into his fading fortunes
