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The five-match T20I series between India and New Zealand, starting January 21, 2026, serves as the final high-stakes rehearsal for the T20 World Cup 2026. India will enter this series after a historic ODI series loss to the Kiwis on home soil, making a comeback in the shortest format essential for morale.
Under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav, the Men in Blue will look to exploit their home advantage in Nagpur, Raipur, and Guwahati for the first three games. With injury concerns sidelining Tilak Varma and Washington Sundar, the squad sees the return of Shreyas Iyer and Ravi Bishnoi. This series is not just about a trophy; it is about finalizing the combinations for India’s title defense starting next month. The focus will be on the explosive opening pair and the middle-order stability against a resilient New Zealand side.
India’s ideal playing XI for the first 3 matches against New Zealand
1. Abhishek Sharma (Opener): He is currently the most feared opener in T20Is, holding a world-record ranking rating in late 2025. He recently dismantled Bangladesh and Pakistan with his aggressive intent, maintaining a career strike rate of 188.03. His performances in the recent two T20I series include a blistering 135 vs England and a high-impact 41 against South Africa, cementing his role as the primary Powerplay aggressor.
2. Sanju Samson (WK/Opener): Samson enters the series as the only Indian to smash back-to-back T20I centuries in late 2024. Despite a few low scores in early 2025, his current form is excellent, having just scored a rapid 37(22) in his last T20I outing and a half-century in the Asia Cup. His recent stats show a career average of 25.80 with a strike rate of 148.06, thriving in the high-risk opening role.
3. Suryakumar Yadav (C): The captain is looking to break a lean patch, having scored only 218 runs in 19 T20Is throughout 2025. Despite his dip in personal scoring, his leadership remains peak with a 72% win rate. His last two notable scores were a gritty 24 in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and a 26 in the final T20I vs South Africa, making this series vital for his rhythm.
4. Shreyas Iyer: Making his T20I return after two years, Iyer replaces the injured Varma. He is in ‘red-hot’ form, having just smashed a sparkling 82 off 53 balls in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. His previous T20I experience (51 matches, 136.12 SR) and his recent success leading Punjab Kings to the IPL 2025 final make him the perfect middle-order anchor.
5. Hardik Pandya: Pandya is currently the #4 ranked T20I all-rounder in the world and played a massive role in India’s 2025 Champions Trophy victory. His current form is dominant; he was the Impact Player in recent domestic games and holds a career T20I bowling average of 26.00. In his last T20I series against South Africa, his flexing of batting muscles led India to a 3-1 victory.
6. Rinku Singh: The undisputed finisher, Rinku is averaging a staggering 123.66 in the ongoing 2025/26 domestic season. His recent T20I performances include a match-winning partnership with Rohit Sharma in 2024 against Afghanistan and a career average of 42.30. His most recent score was an unbeaten 57 off 30 balls for Uttar Pradesh against Vidarbha in Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26, proving his clutch ability remains fully intact for the death overs.
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7. Axar Patel (VC): The newly appointed vice-captain is at the peak of his all-round powers, recently scoring 73 off 60 balls and taking 3/14 for Gujarat against Odisha in Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 . In T20Is, he is the #10 ranked all-rounder with 82 wickets at an economy of 6.85. His last major T20I feat was a game-changing spell in the 2024 T20 World Cup Final.
8. Harshit Rana: Rana is the rising star of 2026, fresh off a maiden international ODI fifty and a 3-wicket haul against New Zealand just days ago. Since his T20I debut against England in early 2025, he has impressed with genuine pace and bounce. His recent domestic form includes an unbeaten 122, making him a dangerous lower-order batting threat at #8.
9. Jasprit Bumrah: Returning to the XI as the leader of the attack, Bumrah remains a top-tier threat despite an ‘off-day’ in his last outing against South Africa (0/45). He recently became the second Indian to reach 100 wickets in all three formats, and his career T20I economy remains world-class. He will look to exploit the Nagpur bounce to regain his usual precision.
10. Arshdeep Singh: The leading left-arm seamer has 110 T20I wickets as of January 2026. While he struggled with wides in his last series against the Proteas (conceding 54 runs), his current form with the new ball remains elite. He recently took 3/63 in the ODI leg of the current New Zealand tour, showing he is ready for the T20I format.
11. Varun Chakaravarthy: Currently the World No. 1 ranked T20I bowler with a rating of 804, Varun is the team’s biggest weapon. His recent ‘mystery’ spell included a 5-wicket haul against South Africa and a career-best rating in 2025. He is coming off a highly successful Asia Cup where he was the leading wicket-taker, making him unplayable on home soil.
Also READ: 3 key reasons behind India’s defeat in the ODI series against New Zealand
