History is written by the victor. So truly said. In 2024, the Blackcaps stunned the cricketing world by sweeping India 3-0 in a Test series, outplaying the hosts in their own backyard. Fast forward to January 2026, and they struck again, landing another seismic blow by clinching an ODI series win on Indian soil for the very first time in 37 years. Yet, the appetite for rewriting records clearly remains unsatisfied. This is New Zealand’s fifth T20I tour of India, and the hosts have not lost a home T20I series since 2012, against the Kiwis. A five-match series awaits, beginning at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur before the contest journeys across the country, eventually reaching its finale in Trivandrum, a.k.a Thiruvananthapuram. Suryakumar Yadav returns to lead the side, but the spotlight firmly rests on his form. By his lofty standards, 2025 was a year to forget. His highest score was 47, he failed to register a single fifty, and finished the calendar year with just 218 runs at an average of 13.63. Those numbers underline a rare slump for one of the world’s most feared T20 batters. With the World Cup looming large, SKY will be desperate to rediscover his rhythm and authority at the top. There are encouraging comeback stories too. Shreyas Iyer is back in the T20I setup after a two-year absence, while Ishan Kishan earns his recall on the back of a strong Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaign. In the bowling department, Ravi Bishnoi returns to bolster an already potent spin attack. Alongside Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy and Axar Patel, India boasts a quartet capable of choking sides through the middle overs with guile and variation. The pace unit looks equally menacing. Jasprit Bumrah leads the charge, supported by Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana, who comes in buoyed by his batting heroics in the ODI series. Add Hardik Pandya to the mix, expected to deliver in clutch moments with both bat and ball, and India appear well stocked in the all-round department. His recent form has been reassuring, and the hosts will hope that momentum continues. Batting, however, remains India’s biggest strength. However, in Tilak Varma’s absence, at least for the first three matches due to an injury, his composed batting will be missed, given how instrumental he has been since his debut. Either Iyer or Kishan will be summoned for that role at number 4. Abhishek Sharma has made run-scoring look effortless, piling up five fifties and a century in 2025 while averaging just under 43 at a staggering strike rate of 193.47. He is likely to open the innings alongside Sanju Samson, who looks increasingly comfortable at the top. With Iyer, Shivam Dube and Rinku Singh to follow, India’s batting unit shapes up as a formidable force. Buoyed by their recent ODI triumph, New Zealand land with a fresh swagger and a point to prove in the shortest format too. Mitchell Santner resumes duty as captain, while the Blackcaps’ bowling arsenal looks fully reloaded. The returns of Jacob Duffy and Matt Henry add bite, completing a fearsome pace quartet alongside Zakary Foulkes and Kyle Jamieson, both of whom enjoyed a standout run in the ODI series. Spin, too, gets a familiar edge, with Ish Sodhi back in tandem with Santner and Bracewell, making this a well-rounded and menacing New Zealand attack. With the bat, the spotlight will be firmly on Rachin Ravindra, who has endured a lean patch, managing just one fifty-plus score in his last ten innings. At the top, Tim Robinson has caught the eye and is set to partner Devon Conway, who enjoyed a productive home series against West Indies. The middle order, meanwhile, boasts proven firepower in young Mark Chapman alongside Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips, names that need little introduction after their stellar showing in the ODI series. Since the 2024 T20 World Cup, New Zealand have played six bilateral series and won five of them, with the only setback coming against Australia, while also adding a Tri-Series triumph in Zimbabwe to their tally. India, meanwhile, have been equally dominant in this format. Including their Asia Cup title win, they have not lost a single T20I series, either at home or away, since the last T20 World Cup. However, Nagpur does not bring back fond memories for India. Rewind to 2016, when New Zealand decimated the hosts, bowling them out for just 79 while defending a modest total of 126. That remains the only time the two sides have met in Nagpur, a memory the visitors will surely draw inspiration from. Let’s see who will come out on top this time around in this final dress rehearsal before the mega tournament takes center stage.
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