After a nail-biting finish to the One-Day Internationals, India (IND) and New Zealand (NZ) will switch formats and square off in the upcoming first T20I of the five-match series on Wednesday, January 21 at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur. The visitors had clinched the ODI series 2-1, and the hosts will look to take revenge by claiming the T20Is.

India have been in sensational form in the shortest format of the game ever since their T20 World Cup win in 2024. Under head coach Gautam Gambhir, the Men in Blue are yet to lose a T20I series, which shows the strong hold of the side in the quickest format.

The Suryakumar Yadav-led side will use the five T20Is as the perfect dress rehearsal ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup.

New Zealand, on the other hand, faced the West Indies in their last 20-over assignment at home and had won the series comfortably. However, they do not have the strongest of records playing against India in India, which will make the upcoming encounter a mouthwatering contest between two of the best sides in international cricket.

IND vs NZ: Match Details

Match	India vs New Zealand, 1st T20I, New Zealand tour of India 2026
Date and Time (IST)	Wednesday, January 21, 7:00 PM
Venue	Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur
Broadcast and Live-Streaming	JioStar Network Channels and JioHotstar (App & Website)

Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur: Pitch Report

The Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur is known to produce one of the flattest tracks in the country, where run-scoring is often considered a cakewalk.

The batting-friendly nature of the pitch has resulted in several high-scoring thrillers at the venue; however, the pitch has enough assistance for the spinners, especially for those who fancy giving flight to the ball and delivering it slower through the air.

IND vs NZ: Head-to-Head T20I Record

Matches Played	25
Won by IND	12
Won by NZ	10
Tied / No Results	03
First-ever Fixture	September 16, 2007 (NZ Won)
Most-recent Fixture	February 01, 2023 (IND Won)

IND vs NZ: Predicted Playing XIs India

Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and Varun Chakravarthy

New Zealand

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

IND vs NZ: Probable Best Performers Probable Best Batter: Abhishek Sharma

In the recent past, Abhishek Sharma has become a name that needs no introduction in T20 cricket. With his fearless hitting and ease of finding the distance to get maximums, Abhishek is undoubtedly going to be the most vital cog in India's batting unit throughout the series. With the conditions also being favourable, the southpaw is expected to score important runs for the Men in Blue.

Probable Best Bowler: Mitchell Santner

In his first-ever T20I at Nagpur, Mitchell Santner had showcased his ability as a spinner who could excel on Indian pitches, as he took a four-wicket haul during the 2016 World Cup to thwart the hosts from completing the run chase. Since then, Santner has only bettered his skills and will be banking on his turn and variation for a successful four-over spell on Wednesday.

Today's Match Prediction: Team batting first to win the match