The first T20 match between India and New Zealand is set to take place at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur, with Suryakumar Yadav leading India against Mitchell Santner’s New Zealand side. Suryakumar, who has recently struggled with his batting form, will be under scrutiny as the T20 World Cup looms on the horizon. Since taking over as captain following India’s triumphant campaign at the 2024 T20 World Cup, his performance has seen a decline, moving away from the consistent excellence that once made him a standout T20 player.
In 2025, Suryakumar’s international performance dipped further, accumulating only 218 runs over 19 T20I innings at a strike rate of 123.16 and an average of just 13.62 — marking the first time in his career that he recorded a strike rate below 150 in a calendar year. Meanwhile, Hardik Pandya has regained his form after returning from injury and is expected to contribute significantly in this match.
Fans can catch the live action of the match starting at 7:00 PM IST, following the toss at 6:30 PM. The match will be streamed live on the JioHotstar app and website, while Star Sports will provide television coverage.
India’s squad features key players including Sanju Samson, Shreyas Iyer, and Jasprit Bumrah, while the New Zealand team includes notable talents such as Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell. As both teams prepare to clash, all eyes will be on Suryakumar to see if he can reclaim his previous form and lead his team to victory. The anticipation surrounding the match adds an exciting chapter to the ongoing series between the two cricketing nations.