India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav plays a shot during the first Twenty20 International cricket match against New Zealand, at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur on Wenesday, January 21, 2026.
| Photo Credit: K.R. DEEPAK
Team India began its final rehearsal for the upcoming T20 World Cup in style, thumping New Zealand on the back of a commanding batting display in Nagpur on Wednesday.
Abhishek Sharma’s blitz at the top and Rinku Singh’s fireworks at the end powered the Men in Blue to a mammoth score to bat the Kiwis out of the contest.
Watch: https://www.bcci.tv/bccilink/videos/6N3g57Po
The teams have now moved to the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium here for the second T20I on Friday with the home side looking to fine-tune its preparations further.
Abhishek and Rinku’s excellence apart, skipper Suryakumar Yadav showed signs of regaining his form, which would have delighted the think-tank. The team will be hoping the smooth-stroking Sanju Samson, back at the top, can make it count and hit the straps leading into the T20 showpiece.
Southpaw Ishan Kishan, back in the national set-up after a hiatus, who missed out on an opportunity to score big, falling after scoring two boundaries, would be keen to get cracking.
All eyes will be on the ultra-aggressive Abhishek, who waded into the Kiwi attack, plundering eight sixes in his 35-ball 84. His form will be crucial to India’s fortunes in this series and the World Cup to follow.
The importance of Hardik Pandya’s presence in the side can’t be overemphasised and he struck some lusty blows before Rinku took over in game one. The irrepressible all-rounder then provided a breakthrough with the ball as the Indians made early inroads.
Despite Glenn Phillips’ onslaught, the visiting side never appeared to be in the hunt and will look for an improved performance from the batters. The openers — Devon Conway and Tim Robinson — aren’t ones to strike terror into the opposition bowlers, but will need to kick on quickly.
All that is easier said than done against an Indian attack comprising Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Hardik and Varun Chakaravarthy, who can bamboozle the best batters.
The only concern for the Men in Blue would be the fitness of vice-captain Axar Patel, who injured himself while bowling in the first match and couldn’t complete his full quota. Incidentally, he was the player-of-the match in a win in the first and only T20I to be played here, against Australia in 2023.
A lacklustre show by the bowlers let the Kiwis down in Nagpur and they will be eager to get back to their best.
The massive total put up by India in game one probably negated the dew factor. Dew is expected during the second match and no score could be safe as South Africa showed in an ODI here in December 2025.
The teams (from): India: Suryakumar Yadav (Capt.), Axar Patel (Vice-capt.), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ishan Kishan (wk) and Ravi Bishnoi.
New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (Capt.), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway (wk), Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Bevon Jacobs, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Robinson, Ish Sodhi and Kristian Clarke.
Match starts at 7 p.m.
Published – January 22, 2026 06:55 pm IST
