Christchurch, Oct 2026 : Teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi returned to India's Playing XI as captain Shreyas Iyer opted to bowl first against New Zealand in the second T20I at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Saturday.
India made two changes to the team that registered a record 226-run chase in the opening T20I at the same venue. Sooryavanshi replaced the injured Ishan Kishan, while pacer Prince Yadav came in for Mayank Yadav as a tactical adjustment.
Sooryavanshi's return is expected to add further firepower to India's batting line-up. The youngster, who had been on the bench since the Asian Games, will bat at No. 3 rather than his usual opening position, Iyer confirmed at the toss.
With Kishan unavailable due to a groin strain, Sooryavanshi's inclusion had been widely anticipated.
Shreyas Iyer Explains India's Decision to Bowl
After winning the toss, India captain Shreyas Iyer said the possibility of dew later in the evening was among the reasons behind the decision to bowl first.
"We're going to bowl first. Yes, absolutely. That's one of the reasons (on dew being a factor)," Iyer said.
He added that the players had received sufficient time to recover after the opening match and were in good condition ahead of the second T20I.
"We have had a little bit of time to recover and catch up on some sleep. Everyone is in decent shape, I would say. Some of the players, including myself, do their training on match day. So, we are in a good place," the India captain said.
Iyer stressed that India needed to maintain the aggressive approach that helped them complete the record chase in the first match. He also highlighted the importance of disciplined fielding, particularly during the closing stages of New Zealand's innings.
"It is important to maintain the aggression and repeat the things we did well in the first game," he said, urging his players to remain proactive in the field and avoid mistakes in the final over.
Explaining the team changes, Iyer confirmed that Kishan's injury had opened the door for Sooryavanshi, while Prince Yadav's inclusion was a tactical decision.
New Zealand Rotate Pace Attack
New Zealand also made one change to their Playing XI, bringing in Jacob Duffy for Adam Milne as part of a rotation strategy ahead of a demanding Test cricket schedule.
Captain Mitchell Santner said the hosts remained confident despite losing the opening encounter, which saw India chase down a challenging target in record fashion.
"We know we are a good team; even though we were a bit off the ball, we still fought hard and had a great match," Santner said.
He added that the team had used the previous day to refresh and prepare for the second match.
"Duffy is in for Milne; that's the only change — just a bit of rotation for the seamers with a lot of Test cricket coming up," the New Zealand skipper explained.
India vs New Zealand 2nd T20I: Playing XIs
New Zealand: Finn Allen, Tim Seifert (wicketkeeper), Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Bevon Jacobs, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (captain), Nathan Smith, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson.
India: Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Shreyas Iyer (captain), Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Naman Dhir, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav.
With Sooryavanshi back in the side and India carrying confidence from their opening-match victory, the second T20I presents another opportunity for the visitors to strengthen their position in the series. New Zealand, meanwhile, will look to respond with a stronger performance at home.
