Raipur Awaits: IND vs NZ 2nd T20I Form and Key Battles

India made the first match of the series a real indication of their strength – Abhishek Sharma went for it from the very first ball, Rinku Singh saw things through to the end, and New Zealand found themselves having to run to catch up with the game, not the score.

The second T20I between India and New Zealand is on January 23, 2026, in Raipur, at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium, with lights on. India are ahead 1-0, but New Zealand have plenty of hitting to turn a game in a couple of overs.

New Zealand’s ODI series ended with a 2-1 win, so this isn’t a one-sided affair. Moving into T20 has been about how quickly things happen, which players meet which bowlers, and if the bowlers can get through the last five overs without giving up easy balls to hit for six.

Could New Zealand take some early wickets and make India have a longer, more careful chase, before Suryakumar Yadav and his middle order get going? That’s been the only reliable way to get India out of their comfort zone when they’re making 200 or more.

In Depth

IND vs NZ 2nd T20I form guide

The first game in Nagpur showed what this series is going to be like. India made 238/7, New Zealand answered with 190/7, and the difference came from two things: India’s quick start in the powerplay, and their being able to keep scoring when they lost wickets.

Abhishek’s 84 off 35 set the standard. He didn’t build; he went after both pace and spin, turning anything on a good length into a powerful shot over midwicket.

Rinku’s 44 not out off 20 was the other big story. India can now lose batsmen and still control the rate they’re scoring at, because their finishing ability looks like it’s come straight from the IPL, not ‘just get to the end’.

New Zealand weren’t completely out of it during their chase. Glenn Phillips’ 78 off 40 kept them in the game, Mark Chapman’s 39 off 24 gave him someone to work with, and Daryl Mitchell’s 28 off 18 was at the right moment.

The bowling will be important before Raipur. Ish Sodhi got Abhishek in Nagpur, Mitchell Santner took Suryakumar’s wicket, and Jacob Duffy took two wickets early on, so New Zealand already know that India’s batsmen can be tricked into making a mistake.

One more warning from that first game: control. New Zealand gave away 14 wides in India’s innings, and free runs at this scoring rate are the same as bowling an over for nothing.

This rivalry has produced big results in India before. Ahmedabad in 2023 ended with a 168-run win, to remind us that when India get to 200 or more, the gap can get much wider, very quickly.

Raipur under lights: pitch, boundaries and dew

Raipur is made for big nights: a large crowd, a quick outfield, and a pitch that can start with a little movement, before becoming a better batting surface. The stadium is in Nava Raipur and holds about 65,000, so the noise will get loud for the IND vs NZ 2nd T20I when India’s top order starts hitting sixes. If Abhishek hits a couple of sixes, the locals will get their money’s worth.

A night start often means dew. That changes everything for spin bowling, and for any bowler trying to bowl cutters with a wet ball; this is why teams prefer to chase when the pitch looks good.

Expect the fast bowlers to aim for a good length early, then a struggle to get control at the end of the innings. If the pitch stays flat, yorkers and wide balls at the stumps are the safest plan; anything in the slot goes for six.

India’s top order: left-hand power and right-hand release

India’s likely batting plan for the IND vs NZ 2nd T20I starts with left-hand power. Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan can take a powerplay with three good hits, and that makes New Zealand’s captain show what he’s going to do with his bowling early on.

Sanju Samson adds a different problem. He hits more straight than most, so New Zealand can’t pack the leg side and wait for mistakes.

Then comes the release: Suryakumar Yadav. His strength isn’t one ‘shot’ but access to all angles, which makes it feel like you’re fielding with one man short when defending the boundaries in a 360-degree arc.

New Zealand’s best answer is wickets, not dot balls. Duffy’s success with the new ball in Nagpur and Matt Henry’s ability to hit the seam are the kinds of overs that can slow India’s start and push a batsman into a risky shot.

India’s bowling plan: win the first six, then hunt with spin

India’s new-ball plan starts with Arshdeep Singh’s left-arm angle and the chance of getting the ball to swing back into right-handers. If he gets Conway moving across the crease, India can attack the pads and keep a slip in play for a couple of overs.

The middle overs are where India like to win ‘easy’ balls. Varun Chakravarthy’s speed plus Kuldeep Yadav’s wrist-spin give Suryakumar two different threats, and that lets him keep a fast bowler for the end of the innings.

Shivam Dube’s cutters are a quiet weapon in this game. He took two wickets in Nagpur and can bowl into the pitch with a speed that asks for a flat-bat hit, which is exactly the shot that brings long-on and deep midwicket into the game.

The death plan is simple on paper, but hard to do: wide yorkers, slower bouncers, and fields that make batsmen hit to the long side. If Bumrah is in the team, he’ll add a bit of a grip and make the batters take more chances when facing the other bowlers.

For New Zealand to do well with the bat, they shouldn’t allow India’s spinners to dictate things.

New Zealand’s top order, though it might not look it, is set up to exploit bowling types; Devon Conway holds things together, Tim Seifert can go after the fast stuff in the first six, and Rachin Ravindra provides a left-handed option against India’s right-arm pace bowlers.

The middle of the innings is where the match will likely be won or lost. Phillips has the ability to jump from 30 off 25 balls to 70 off 35 really quickly, and Mitchell and Chapman bat well enough around him to keep the scoring going.

India are aiming to get through the middle overs without giving up too many boundaries. Varun’s pace and the ball sliding on can pull batters off balance, and Kuldeep’s googly makes it risky to try and hit into the leg side.

Hardik Pandya is the seam bowler who links the two parts of the attack in that period; he can bowl into the pitch, change his speed without it being obvious, and make the big hitters aim for the longer part of the boundary.

New Zealand’s bowling needs

In Nagpur, New Zealand’s best overs came when they bowled straight and full at the stumps, or got the batters to top-edge with a short, powerful ball. When they didn’t hit their lengths, they were punished with sixes.

Matt Henry and Kyle Jamieson give them a couple of different ways to bowl to India’s left-handed openers. Henry’s seam movement can go away from Abhishek and Kishan, and Jamieson’s height can make the pull shot look more dangerous than it is to the non-striker.

The overs from seven to twelve are Santner’s to control. If he can slow the pace down and make India hit with the spin, New Zealand can put fielders in at deep midwicket and long-on and wait for a mistimed lofted shot, rather than needing a perfect yorker.

A better plan at the end of the innings is essential. India’s ability to finish strongly means that one bad over in the slot can undo half an hour of good bowling, so New Zealand need a definite plan to bowl wide of the off stump, and the confidence to carry it out even if they go for a boundary.

The contests that could determine the result

Abhishek Sharma against Ish Sodhi feels like the opening move in a chess game. Abhishek likes pace, Sodhi draws him in with a leg break that seems easy to hit, and the boundary fielders are immediately involved.

Suryakumar Yadav against Mitchell Santner is a battle of control. Santner’s strengths are his angle and accuracy, and he bowls a length that makes a batter want to hit the ball, rather than play a more relaxed shot.

Glenn Phillips against Kuldeep Yadav/Varun Chakravarthy is New Zealand’s chance to get on top of India’s best middle-overs bowlers. Phillips can hit spin down the ground, but the ball sliding on can force him to hit flat and across the line.

Arshdeep Singh at the end versus Mitchell, Chapman and Santner will shape the last five overs. Arshdeep is good at bowling wide yorkers and getting late swing, so the batters must keep their shape and stop him from being able to bowl outside off stump.

Team news

India’s team has a few straightforward changes they can make. Jasprit Bumrah brings control and intimidation, Harshit Rana gets bounce when he bowls, and both can play with Arshdeep if India want three seamers.

The real question is about the spin. Varun is a bowler who does well when batters have already decided what to do, Kuldeep gives you wrist-spin drift, and Axar Patel gives you left-arm control and some handy lower-order batting.

Washington Sundar and Tilak Varma are there to give the team balance. If India want an extra off-spin option for Conway or Ravindra, Washington is a good choice; if they want a calmer left-hander in the middle of the innings, Tilak fits the bill.

New Zealand’s replacements are about pace and batting strength. Lockie Ferguson changes the speed of the bowling, Michael Bracewell gives off-spin and can hit the ball a long way at the end, and Finn Allen can turn a powerplay of 50 runs into 80 if he gets a few in the right spot.

Main points

• India’s win in the opener came from a huge 238/7, with Abhishek Sharma making 84 off 35 balls and Rinku Singh 44 not out off 20, setting a high-scoring tone for the second T20I between India and New Zealand.
• New Zealand did show some power through Glenn Phillips’ 78 off 40, so India can’t be sure of victory if one partnership lasts until the 15th over.
• New Zealand gave away 14 wides in Nagpur, and that sort of carelessness quickly turns a tight chase into an easy win.
• The dew in Raipur at night could give the chasing team an advantage, making the captains want to choose more seam bowlers and protect the wide yorker.
• The main contests to watch are Abhishek versus Sodhi, Suryakumar against Santner, and Phillips versus Kuldeep/Varun in the middle overs.

Summary

The second T20I between India and New Zealand is based on a simple idea: this series is moving at a run-a-ball quicker than most bowlers want. India have the momentum and the depth, New Zealand have the matchups and the batters to take a part of the game.

Watch the first six overs as if it were a separate match. If New Zealand win that part with wickets, Raipur will be a real contest; if India get another good powerplay, the chase will be a question of scoring enough runs, rather than tactics.