India will take on New Zealand in the second T20I of the ongoing five-match series at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur on Friday, January 23. This match is important for both sides as they continue to assess the combinations and fine-tune their plans ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup.
New Zealand is under pressure after losing the opening match. The competition will test the team’s depth and adaptability. However, both teams have strong batting lineups and diverse bowling attacks, and Raipur offers favorable conditions for stroke play, so it is expected to be another high-intensity match between the two teams.
This article provides information on the probable playing XIs of India and New Zealand for the second T20I, possible team combinations and key players to watch out for in Raipur.
India’s playing XI vs New Zealand 2nd T20I:
Openers: Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson
Abhishek Sharma set the tone in the first T20I by playing a stormy innings of 84 runs in 35 balls, while Sanju Samson scored 10 runs in 7 balls. He provided stability at the top of the order and attacking options in the powerplay.
Middle-order batsmen and all-rounders: Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Akshar Patel, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dubey.
Ishan Kishan, who returned to the playing eleven, was out after scoring 8 runs in 5 balls. The team may be tempted to include Shreyas Iyer for the match, but they cannot drop Kishan after just one failure.
Suryakumar Yadav will handle the middle order, with Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dubey providing the power. Rinku impressed in the opener with an unbeaten 44 off 20 balls, while Axar Patel provided balance with both bat and ball.
Bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakraborty
Jasprit Bumrah will lead the pace attack, Varun Chakravarthy took two wickets in the first T20I, and Arshdeep added left-arm variety. In the opening match of the series, Bumrah gave 29 runs in his three overs.
India’s playing XI: Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dubey, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakraborty.
New Zealand Playing XI vs India 2nd T20I:
Openers: Tim Robinson and Devon Conway
New Zealand are likely to open with Tim Robinson and Devon Conway (wicketkeeper). The role of Robinson and Conway at the top will be to provide stability and build a strong foundation. Conway was out for zero, while Robinson scored 21 runs from 15 balls.
Middle-order and all-rounders: Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner, Christian Clarke
Rachin Ravindra, who scored 1 run in 5 balls, is likely to bat at number 3 as the team management expects him to continue in the same position. Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman and Daryl Mitchell will provide stability to the middle order.
Phillips will be key in pacing the innings, while Chapman and Mitchell add balance with both runs and composure. Mitchell Santner and Christian Clarke add further depth and flexibility to the batting lineup.
Bowlers: Kyle Jamieson, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy
Kyle Jamieson’s height and bounce make him a major threat with the new ball, while Ish Sodhi brings spin variety to the middle overs. Jacob Duffy’s consistency and ability to hit good areas will be important in creating pressure and taking early wickets.
New Zealand Playing XI: Tim Robinson, Devon Conway (wk), Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (c), Christian Clarke, Kyle Jamieson, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy
New Zealand arrived with confidence after a close win against the West Indies, but India’s shortcomings in depth were exposed in the first T20 match. Their bowling struggled in the middle overs, making the second T20 match crucial for changes.
Also read: India’s batsmen nearing comeback before T20 World Cup 2026, Tilak Verma’s return date fixed
