Sooryavanshi in focus as India step out for milestone T20I against New Zealand

India will look to extend their series lead against New Zealand in the second T20I in Christchurch. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi could return to the playing XI after Ishan Kishan was ruled out with a low-grade right adductor strain.

Christchurch: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi‘s potential return has grabbed the headlines again as India gear up to face New Zealand in the second T20I of the five-match series at Hagley Oval here on Saturday.

India, the reigning two-time T20 World Champions, will take the field for their 300th T20I match and look to double their 1-0 lead in the series after winning a high-scoring contest at the same venue on Thursday.

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That was also India’s highest T20I chase, with Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Shreyas Iyer and Naman Dhir starring in the 226-run chase. Now, India are likely to have Sooryavanshi back in the playing XI as Ishan Kishan is out of the second match due to a low-grade right adductor strain.

Sooryavanshi, if he gets the nod, would be eager to make an impact as the second match will also be played at the same venue and on the same pitch that hosted a 455-run feast across the two innings. That might also mean the used surface could offer something for the bowlers, with wear and tear likely to come into play.

With Sooryavanshi likely to return, India could open with two left-handers in Sooryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma and shift Samson to No. 3. This might also open the window for the Kiwis to bring an off-spinner into the attack early, an approach India struggled against during the 2026 T20 World Cup.

New Zealand would be happy to take the game to the last over despite the start India made and the presence of dew in Christchurch in the opener. However, they would want to make a comeback sooner rather than later, as another defeat would make their task of recovering in the five-match series much tougher.

This would not be ideal for the Kiwis, as the West Indies recently pushed India to the limit and tied the five-match series 2-2, with the last game being washed out.

India’s 300th T20I match will see them become only the second team to complete 300 matches in the format, after Pakistan, who have played 304 games. The Men in Blue have 199 outright wins, but their six wins through Super Overs and bowl-outs have already taken them past the 200-win mark, giving them 205 wins in the format.

When: October 24, 2026, 12.30 pm IST

Where: Hagley Oval, Christchurch

Where to watch: The match will be shown live on Sony Sports Network channels on TV, while live streaming will be available on the Sony LIV app and website.

Squads:

India: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Naman Dhir, Prince Yadav, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Mayank Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (captain), Devon Conway (wk), Tim Seifert, Finn Allen, Bevon Jacobs, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell, Josh Clarkson, Nathan Smith, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Adam Milne, Jacob Duffy, Kyle Jamieson and Blair Tickner.