The IND vs NZ Raipur match playing 11 can be changed. India’s last three T20I victories give them confidence. At Raipur’s Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, the second T20I between India and New Zealand happens on Friday, January 23, 2026.
India’s riding high after that 48-run thumping in Nagpur, and got a 1-0 lead in the series, but there’s a cloud hanging over the camp. Axar Patel left the field with a bleeding finger last night.
Indian skipper Suryakumar is looking for the double, but Santner is also trying for the level. Speaking of the toss, it will be at 6:30 PM IST, first ball at 7:00 PM, and anyone who’s watched cricket in Raipur knows the dew could change everything.
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IND vs NZ 2nd T20I Match Details
| What | When/Where |
| Match | India vs New Zealand, 2nd T20I |
| Date | Friday, January 23, 2026 |
| Venue | Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Stadium, Raipur |
| Toss | 6:30 PM IST |
| Start | 7:00 PM IST |
| Series | India leads 1-0 |
| Live Streaming | Jio Hotstar |
What to Expect from the Raipur Pitch
January evenings in Raipur have a particular feel. The air gets thick, the lights come on early, and the crowd settles into their seats with that buzz of anticipation. This ground doesn’t mess around; it’s built on red clay that’s been baked hard, and by now those surface cracks are starting to show.
The Surface Reality
This pitch rewards bowlers who hit the deck. The ball doesn’t just sit up nicely for batsmen here; it grips, it skids, sometimes it kicks up awkwardly. The square boundaries stretch to 74 meters, which means what flies for six at smaller venues becomes a tough two here. Fitness matters. Placement matters more.
T20s at this ground usually see first innings totals around 160-165. Teams that crack 175 usually win comfortably. The spinners have been absolutely crucial in recent matches here, taking nearly two-thirds of the wickets through the middle overs.
The Dew Factor (Why the Toss Matters)
Around the middle of the game, the dew can make an impact. Humidity shoots past 75%, the ball gets slippery, and suddenly, your spinners are struggling to grip it properly. It’s been brutal for teams defending totals lately. Over the past couple of years, sides chasing at Raipur have won about 67% of matches.
India’s Injury Concerns
Axar Patel’s Finger Injury
The big question mark hanging over this match is Axar Patel. He split his finger trying to stop a Daryl Mitchell drive last night. The ball caught his left index finger, and there was blood. TV cameras showed him walking off, with Abhishek Sharma finishing his over.
The BCCI hasn’t released an official update yet, but reports suggest it might be a finger split, which would heal more quickly. Still, with the T20 World Cup coming up next month, they won’t take risks. If there’s any doubt, they’ll rest him.
Losing Axar would hurt. He’s not just four overs of economical spin; he’s the tactical glue that lets Suryakumar Yadav rotate his bowlers without panic.
The Replacement Scenario
If Axar sits out, Ravi Bishnoi is the obvious choice. Bishnoi bowls with serious pace through the air, getting that leg-spin to skid rather than loop. His googly genuinely troubles batsmen. In his last three T20Is before this series, he grabbed five wickets while going at under seven per over.
Kuldeep Yadav is the other option for more control and variety, but on a pitch with uneven bounce, Bishnoi’s attacking style makes more sense. New Zealand has historically struggled against fast leg-spinners who can exploit these conditions.
India’s Likely Playing XI
Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Suryakumar Yadav (C), Ishan Kishan / Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel / Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah
That’s eight specialist batsmen if you count Hardik, which gives them a cushion. Five proper bowling options with Dube as backup make it work.
New Zealand: Needing Answers Fast
Mitchell Santner’s Tactical Challenge
Santner knows his team can’t slug it out with India run-for-run, so he’ll try to suffocate them instead. Expect disciplined lines through overs 7-15, forcing India’s naturally aggressive batsmen to take risks on a pitch that won’t always cooperate.
What’s the problem? India scored 238 in Nagpur. Even Santner’s best plans need execution, and New Zealand’s bowlers looked shell-shocked for large parts of that first match.
Glenn Phillips: The Danger Man
Phillips smashed 78 off 40 balls last night and was the only reason New Zealand stayed in the chase as long as they did. When he’s timing them, he’s fearsome; hitting straight, clearing the ropes with ease, making bowlers second-guess their lengths.
But Raipur’s extra bounce could trap him. Phillips plays a lot of his shots on the up, and if the pitch offers inconsistent bounce, that style becomes high-risk. One mistimed pull, one ball that climbs more than expected, and he’s gone.
New Zealand’s Expected XI
Tim Robinson, Devon Conway(WK), Rachin Ravindra, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner (C), Kris Clarke, Kyle Jamieson, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy
We’d be shocked if New Zealand changes its lineup. They competed well for periods in Nagpur; Phillips looked solid, Daryl Mitchell showed intent, and their bowling wasn’t disgraced despite the big total. Sometimes you just run into a better team on the night.
How This Match Actually Gets Decided
Forget the obvious stuff about the powerplay. The real battle happens between overs 8 and 16. That’s where teams either build momentum or watch it evaporate.
India’s got the depth to keep attacking through that phase—Rinku, Hardik, even Dube can find boundaries. New Zealand needs partnerships there, rotating strike, picking the right balls to attack. Without that control, they’ll be chasing 180-plus on a pitch that gets trickier as the night goes on.
The pitch itself is the wild card. Uneven bounce rewards smart bowling and punishes lazy shot selection. Batsmen who adapt quickly will thrive; those who try to muscle everything get found out.
IND vs NZ 2nd T20 Match Prediction
In the IND vs NZ Raipur match, the focus is on how teams handle a surface that traditionally aids spin as the night progresses. If India bats first, they will aim for a par score around 175, trusting Varun Chakravarthy and Axar Patel or his replacement to squeeze the middle overs.
Conversely, a New Zealand side batting first relies on Devon Conway’s stability and Glenn Phillips’ power to post a total that tests India’s depth. Whether chasing or defending, the result depends on which side better manages the tactical battle against the turning ball.
What’s your take on Axar’s injury?
Should India rest him regardless, with the World Cup so close? And who do you think wins Friday—can New Zealand level this series, or does India’s momentum carry them through?
Drop your predictions below.
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