India and New Zealand face off in the second T20I of the five-match series at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, Raipur. After a convincing win in the opening match at Nagpur, India national cricket team hold a 1-0 lead and will look to move closer to sealing the series. Under the captaincy of Suryakumar Yadav, India have shown aggressive intent, but an injury to Axar Patel has added a fresh challenge ahead of the Raipur clash.
IND vs NZ 2nd T20i Match Preview
| Match | IND vs NZ, 2nd T20I |
|---|---|
| Date | 23 January 2026 |
| Venue | Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, Raipur |
| Toss Time | 6:30 PM IST |
| Match Start | 7:00 PM IST |
| Live Telecast | Star Sports Network |
| Free Live Streaming | JioCinema / Disney+ Hotstar |
IND vs NZ Pitch Report: Raipur Stadium
The Raipur pitch is known for being balanced, but the large boundaries (around 75–80 meters) make big hitting difficult. Fast bowlers get some bounce early, while spinners become effective as the pitch slows down. Dew is expected in the evening, which could make bowling second tricky. Because of this, teams winning the toss may prefer to bowl first. The average first-innings score here usually stays between 150 and 170. Only one T20I has been played at this venue so far, where India successfully defended a total.
IND vs NZ Head-to-Head Record (T20Is)
India continue to dominate New Zealand in the shortest format, especially at home.
| Category | Record |
|---|---|
| Total Matches | 26 |
| India Wins | 14 |
| New Zealand Wins | 09 |
| Tie / No Result | 03 |
| Venue | Matches | India Won | NZ Won | Tied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In India | 13 | 9 | 4 | 0 |
| In New Zealand | 11 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| Neutral Venues | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Axar Patel Injury Update and Possible Replacement
Axar Patel suffered a finger injury while fielding in the first T20I and was unable to complete his spell. Though no official medical update has been released, the team management is unlikely to take risks, especially with the T20 World Cup 2026 in mind. If Axar is ruled out, India could bring in Kuldeep Yadav for wrist-spin variety or Ravi Bishnoi for extra pace through the air.
Probable Playing XI
India (Likely XI):
Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav / Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana
New Zealand (Likely XI):
Devon Conway (wk), Tim Robinson, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner (c), James Neesham / Michael Bracewell, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Kyle Jamieson
Players to Watch
For India, Abhishek Sharma’s powerplay hitting and Jasprit Bumrah’s control at the death remain key strengths. For New Zealand, Glenn Phillips’ aggressive batting and Mitchell Santner’s all-round role will be crucial in their attempt to level the series.
India look confident and well-balanced, but Axar Patel fitness will play a major role in team combination. New Zealand need a stronger batting effort to stay alive in the series. If India adapt well to the Raipur conditions, they have a strong chance to take a 2-0 lead.
