India and New Zealand will meet again in the second T20I of the five-match series at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, Raipur, on Friday, January 23.

India take confidence from a dominant win in the first T20I at Nagpur. Batting first, the hosts piled up a massive total, powered by an explosive innings from Abhishek Sharma. The middle order also played useful roles before the bowlers kept New Zealand under pressure throughout the chase. With that win, India now lead the series 1–0.

New Zealand will be keen to bounce back quickly. They struggled early in the chase after losing key wickets, and although Glenn Phillips showed resistance, the target proved too steep. The visitors will look for a stronger start with the bat and a better showing from their bowlers to level the series.

IND vs NZ: Pitch Report

The Raipur pitch usually plays on the slower side. Bowlers varying their pace might find success here, especially in the middle overs. If the batsmen get set early on, big scores are still possible. Winning the toss and choosing to bat first may be a good strategy.

IND vs NZ: Head-to-Head Record (T20Is)

• Matches Played: 26
• India Won: 13
• New Zealand Won: 10
• Tied / No Result: 3

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IND vs NZ: Predicted Playing XIs

India (IND):

Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah

New Zealand (NZ):

Daryl Mitchell, Tim Robinson, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Devon Conway (wk), Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner (c), Kristian Clarke, Kyle Jamieson, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy

Abhishek Sharma produced a stunning batting display in the first T20I against New Zealand in Nagpur on Wednesday. The young India batter smashed 84 runs from just 35 balls. His aggressive knock contributed to making 238 runs for India. This remains their highest total in a T20 international against New Zealand.

Abhishek dominated the bowling attack by displaying clean and powerful strokes. He played an important part in setting the base for the Indian innings. His innings got everyone’s attention because of its purpose and timing. After the match, he was asked about his ability to hit so many sixes.

His reply shocked many people and even made the presenter laugh. Abhishek said he does not depend on a lot of shots. He prefers a small list and works very hard on them. He emphasized the need for preparation and standing behind one’s strengths.

“I Don’t Have a Lot of Shots,” Says Abhishek

“I feel if you watch videos or if you watch your batting videos, you get an idea that where bowlers are planning to bowl to you or maybe where I'm going to play my shots,” Abhishek said after the match. He added that trusting his strengths matters more than expanding his shot range. “It's always about me backing my shots because I don't have a lot of shots,” he said.

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He further spoke about intent and mindset. “We had a plan from day one and are just following it,” Abhishek said. He explained that striking at a high rate needs clear intent. “It's about my preparation. I'm going to back my instinct,” he added.

Abhishek also dismissed the idea that his role is a high-risk one. “I don't feel my role is high-risk,” he said, while explaining his approach. He described himself as more of a timing batter who likes to watch the ball and understand conditions. According to him, analysing batting videos helps him prepare better for bowlers’ plans.

Shubman Gill, one of India’s most talked-about batters, was left out of the T20 World Cup squad announced by the BCCI. The tournament is set to begin on February 7. The Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel chose players like Ishan Kishan and Rinku Singh instead. Gill’s omission has sparked wide debate among fans and experts.

The decision came despite Gill being a regular name in India’s white-ball plans. Many expected him to feature, especially given his reputation and past performances. However, concerns around his recent T20 form played a role. The selectors opted to focus on players they felt were better suited at this stage.

Former Australia captain Michael Clarke has now spoken in support of Gill. Clarke believes the snub does not end Gill’s chances. In fact, he feels Gill could make a strong return after the World Cup. Clarke even sees leadership potential in the young batter.

“Don’t Be Surprised If He Takes Over the Captaincy”

“He might still be (in contention). I don't think that changes too much. I think the squads needed to be announced by a certain time, and he wasn't batting as well as he would like,” Clarke said on the Beyond23 Cricket Podcast. He added that India have many opening options and the timing worked against Gill.

Clarke also pointed out that the selectors wanted full focus on World Cup preparation. “They wanted these couple of warm-up games to be a real focus on what they are doing in the World Cup,” he said. According to him, questions over Gill’s form led to the call. The decision was made specifically with the World Cup in mind.

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Gill had been named India’s T20I vice-captain last year, replacing Axar Patel. However, the selectors later reappointed Axar as vice-captain for the World Cup. Looking ahead, Clarke remains confident. “I think after the World Cup, don't be surprised if he not only comes back into the team, but he also takes over the captaincy,” he said, adding that Gill is “an unbelievable player” and India are fully focused on winning the World Cup.

India and New Zealand will start their five-match T20I series with the first game on Wednesday, January 21, at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur. After losing the ODI series 2-1, India will be eager to bounce back and make a strong start in the T20Is.

India has performed very well in T20 cricket in recent years, particularly after winning the T20 World Cup in 2024. Under head coach Gautam Gambhir, the team has not lost a T20I series so far. Led by Suryakumar Yadav, India will treat this series as important preparation for the 2026 T20 World Cup and will aim to start with a win at home.

New Zealand come into this series with confidence after a comfortable T20I series win against West Indies. However, playing in Indian conditions has always been challenging for them. The Black Caps will have to put up some good performances both from their batters and bowlers if they want to trouble India at Nagpur.

IND vs NZ: Head-to-Head Record (T20Is)

• Matches Played: 25
• India Won: 12
• New Zealand Won: 10
• Tied / No Result: 3
  

IND vs NZ: Pitch Report

The Nagpur pitch usually is very good for batting, with the ball coming easily on to the bat. Big scores are pretty common here, and the batters can play their shots freely once set. Spinners can get some help in the middle overs, especially if they bowl slower through the air. Teams winning the toss may prefer to bat first and put a big total on the board.

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IND vs NZ: Predicted Playing XIs

India (IND):

Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan, Abhishek Sharma, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana

New Zealand (NZ):

Devon Conway (wk), Tim Robinson, Mark Chapman, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (c), Bevon Jacobs, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry

India and New Zealand will meet in the third and final ODI on Sunday, January 18, at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore. With the series tied 1-1, this match will determine the series winner.

India began the series strongly, winning the first ODI, but they could not maintain that level in the second game. Their batting has been steady, but the bowling unit needs changes to improve. The team may make one or two changes to strengthen the bowling attack. India also has a great record in Indore and has never lost an ODI at this venue, which gives them extra confidence.

New Zealand bounced back strongly after losing the opening match. They dominated the second ODI, led by a brilliant hundred from Daryl Mitchell. Captain Michael Bracewell’s side will be confident and will aim to beat India again to win the series on Indian soil.

IND vs NZ: Pitch Report

The Indore pitch is famous for high-scoring matches. Batters like playing here, and big totals often happen. However, the surface slows down later in the game, making it tough to chase scores. Teams may prefer to bat first and set a target.

IND vs NZ: Head-to-Head Record (ODIs)

• Matches Played: 122
• India Won: 63
• New Zealand Won: 51
• Tied / No Result: 8

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IND vs NZ: Predicted Playing XIs

India (IND):

Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh

New Zealand (NZ):

Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell (c), Mitchell Hay (wk), Zak Foulkes, Kristian Clark, Jayden Lennox, Kyle Jamieson

India and New Zealand will meet again in the second ODI of the three-match series on Wednesday, January 14, at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot. After an exciting opening match, both teams will be eager to make an impact as the series reaches a key stage.

India come into this game full of confidence after winning the first ODI in Vadodara. Led by Shubman Gill, the hosts made the right call by bowling first and chased the target comfortably with more than an over to spare. Another victory in Rajkot would help India wrap up the series early, and they will be keen to continue their strong form.

New Zealand put up a good fight in the opening match but fell short in the end. Captain Michael Bracewell’s side showed intent with both bat and ball and will now look to bounce back quickly. A win in this match is crucial for the visitors if they want to stay alive in the series.

IND vs NZ Head-to-Head Record (ODIs)

• Matches Played: 121
• India Won: 63
• New Zealand Won: 50
• Tied / No Result: 8

IND vs NZ: Pitch Report

Rajkot has been a tough venue for teams chasing in ODIs. All previous matches here have been won by sides batting first. The pitch starts off good for batting, but it slows down later, bringing spinners into the game. Captains winning the toss may prefer to bat first and put runs on the board.

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IND vs NZ: Predicted Playing XIs

India (IND):

Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (C), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj

New Zealand (NZ):

Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Hay (WK), Michael Bracewell (C), Zak Foulkes, Kristian Clarke, Kyle Jamieson, Adithya Ashok

The friendship between Shubman Gill and Sarfaraz Khan has silently grown over the years in the Indian cricket setup. Their equation, mostly based on mutual trust, ease, and shared time away from the spotlight, has often been noticed by those around the team. Even when they weren't playing together that regularly, the bond between the two was intact.

That connection came to the fore once more through a recent gesture by Gill. The Indian ODI and Test captain gifted Sarfaraz a luxury item in showing his support for the teammate. The moment reflected how players stand by each other beyond matches and results.

Sarfaraz shared this moment with his followers on social media, giving a rare peek into the personal side of their relationship. The post drew attention in no time and gave the strong bond that the two cricketers share off the field.

Sarfaraz Thanks Gill After Receiving G-Shock Watch

Sarfaraz Khan revealed that Shubman Gill gifted him a premium G-Shock watch. On Tuesday, January 13, the Mumbai Indian batter posted a photo of the watch on his Instagram account. In the caption, Sarfaraz thanked the Indian captain and wrote, “Thank you Shubman Gill clean watch @gshock_in,” expressing his happiness over the thoughtful gift.

NICE GESTURE BY CAPTAIN SHUBMAN GILL 👏

- Gill gifted a watch to Sarfaraz Khan. pic.twitter.com/MthbCsosLU

— VM Strike🏏 (@mittal_van39335) January 13, 2026

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On the cricketing side, Sarfaraz has faced setbacks recently. He was dropped from India’s home Test series against the West Indies and South Africa last year and was also left out of the Test squad for the England tour, even though he was part of the India A team.

Since his Test match debut in February 2024, Sarfaraz has played six matches, with his last game played in November 2024 against the New Zealand team at home. Although he failed to get picked for the national team, he continues to score heavily as part of the Mumbai domestic side and is in the fray for his comeback to Team India.

Team India’s star batter Virat Kohli made a heartwarming revelation after winning the Player of the Match award in the first ODI against New Zealand in Vadodara on Sunday, January 11. Kohli revealed that he usually sends his awards to his mother, as she likes to collect them and feels proud of his achievements.

The former India captain played a superb knock of 93 runs while chasing a stiff target of 301. He batted with great control and calmness, making sure India stayed ahead in the chase. His innings once again showed his experience and match awareness.

The former India captain stitched together important partnerships to take the match away from New Zealand. He added 118 runs with skipper Shubman Gill and later shared a 77-run stand with vice-captain Shreyas Iyer, setting up a strong platform for India’s win.

Kohli reflects on mindset, team-first approach and crowd behaviour

Speaking at the post-match presentation, Kohli said he no longer thinks about personal milestones and always focuses on helping the team win. He added that even if India had batted first, his approach would have been aggressive. As quoted by ESPNcricinfo, he said, "I send my awards to my mom, she's proud of them. If I look back at my whole journey, it's nothing short of a dream come true. I always knew my abilities and had to work to get where I have. God's given me way too much, I have a lot of gratitude. Honestly, the way I'm playing, I'm not thinking milestones. If we were batting first, I'd have gone harder. The experience does kick in, but the main thing was to get the team ahead and to a winning position."

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Kohli missed out on his 54th ODI century after mistiming a shot to mid-off, where Michael Bracewell took the catch off Kyle Jamieson’s bowling. Despite that, the 37-year-old reached a major milestone by going past Kumar Sangakkara to become the second-highest run-scorer across all formats.

When asked about fans booing other batters, Kohli said he does not like seeing any player treated that way. He mentioned that he has seen similar reactions towards MS Dhoni as well. Kohli said he prefers to stay focused on the game and feels grateful for the love he receives from the crowd. India will now aim to seal the series in the second ODI against New Zealand on January 14 in Rajkot.

India have suffered a setback ahead of the three-match ODI series against New Zealand, with Rishabh Pant ruled out due to injury. According to reports, Pant picked up a side strain after being hit on the ribs during a net session in Vadodara and will miss the entire series.

The incident happened during India’s practice ahead of the first ODI. Pant was batting comfortably before a delivery struck him above the waist, leaving him in visible pain. He was immediately attended to by the support staff and did not continue the session.

Following scans and medical checks, doctors confirmed a side strain on the right side of his ribcage. As a result, the team management decided to rule him out to avoid further risk, dealing a blow to India’s plans for the series.

Dhruv Jurel called up as injury replacement

Dhruv Jurel has been named as Pant’s injury replacement for the ODI series. The young wicketkeeper-batter has been in fine form for Uttar Pradesh in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy and joined the Indian squad on Saturday. Pant is expected to rest for a few days before reporting to the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru for further assessment and rehabilitation. He had recently shown good form in domestic cricket, scoring two half-centuries while leading Delhi into the knockout stage of the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

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This is not the first injury setback for Pant in recent times. He had earlier fractured his right foot during the fourth Test against England at Manchester and made his return through the home Test series against South Africa last year. Although he has been part of India’s ODI plans for the last two years, his last appearance in the format came during the Sri Lanka tour in August 2024.

With Pant sidelined, India may also consider Ishan Kishan as another wicketkeeping option, given his strong domestic performances. The ODI series against New Zealand will begin on January 11 at the Baroda Cricket Association Stadium in Vadodara, followed by matches in Rajkot on January 14 and Indore on January 18.

India and New Zealand are ready to begin their 2026 campaign with the first ODI of the series at the Baroda Cricket Association Stadium in Vadodara on Sunday, January 11. This will be their first ODI meeting since the Champions Trophy 2025 final, where India defeated New Zealand to lift the title.

India enjoyed a strong run in ODI cricket last year, winning most of their matches and ending the year as champions of an ICC tournament. While Rohit Sharma led the team to glory in 2025, Shubman Gill is expected to take charge this year. The young captain will aim to start his leadership journey with a confident performance at home.

New Zealand were equally impressive in 2025, winning 17 of their 20 ODI matches. However, they were unable to get the better of India during the year. Led by Michael Bracewell, the Black Caps will be keen to change that record and make a strong start to the new year against a familiar rival.

IND vs NZ: Head-to-Head Record in ODIs

• Matches Played: 120
  
• India Won: 62
  
• New Zealand Won: 50
  
• Tied / No Result: 8
  

IND vs NZ: Pitch Report

This will be the first men’s ODI at the Baroda Cricket Association Stadium. In the women's ODIs played here, teams batting first have had success. The pitch is expected to assist the batters early before getting slower in the latter part of the match. Hence, captains might opt to bat first and put runs on the board.

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IND vs NZ: Predicted Playing XIs

India (IND):

Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (C), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj

New Zealand:

Devon Conway (WK), Henry Nicholls, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell (C), Glenn Phillips, Zak Foulkes, Kyle Jamieson, Adithya Ashok, Michael Rae, Jayden Lennox