IND vs NZ 1st T20 cricket match today: Ishan Kishan returns; when and where to watch; live-streaming details

India’s 5-match T20I series against New Zealand is critical for the Men in Blue ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026. The series starts today, 21 January.

The first IND vs NZ T20 cricket match will be played in Vidarbha. India enter the T20 series after losing the ODI series 2-1 to New Zealand.

Suryakumar Yadav will continue as T20 captain. Axar Patel was named vice-captain as Shubman Gill was dropped from the squad.

Captain Suryakumar Yadav has confirmed that Ishan Kishan will bat at No. 3. The wicketkeeper-batter is returning to Team India after a long hiatus. His last T20 match for India was in November 2023.

India are expected to go with a balanced bowling attack of two specialist pacers and one specialist spinner. Kuldeep Yadav is set to sit out the opening match. Varun Chakaravarthy is likely to be preferred as the main spinner.

Axar Patel will support Chakaravarthy in India’s spin attack. Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya and Arshdeep Singh are expected to handle the pace duties.

New Zealand, too, will treat this series as vital preparation for the T20 World Cup in February. The visitors are likely to play a strong side as they adjust to Indian conditions.

IND vs NZ T20 match today: When and where to watch

For Indian viewers, the India vs New Zealand match will be streamed live on the JioHotstar app and website. The match will also be shown live on Star Sports Network TV channels.

IND vs NZ T20 match today: Probable XIs

Probable India XI: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Suryakumar Yadav (C), Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy.

Probable New Zealand XI: Devon Conway (WK), Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, James Neesham, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (C), Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Ish Sodhi.

IND vs NZ T20 series

India will host New Zealand in a five-match T20I series in January 2026. All matches are scheduled to start at 7 PM.

The opening T20I cricket match will be held on 21 January at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur. The second match follows on 23 January, Friday, at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium (New Raipur). The third T20I will take place on 25 January, Sunday, at the ACA Stadium (Guwahati).

The series then moves to Visakhapatnam, where the fourth T20I will be played on 28 January, Wednesday, at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium. The final and fifth match is scheduled for 31 January, Saturday, at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram.