India vs New Zealand LIVE Score, 1st T20I: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Aside, Gautam Gambhir Faces 2 Tough Selection Calls

"One of the picturesque places in New Zealand to play cricket to kick off the summer. Now the weather has been fantastic today in Christchurch. It was a high of 25. It'll go down to 17 as the night goes on. Very, very pleasant from a player's perspective. Now in terms of this ground, Hagley is the biggest ground to play cricket in in New Zealand, which means it has huge boundaries. A big 78-metre hit back over my shoulder into the gardens, but it is a big hit also into the embankment, over 77 metres. One pocket that I'm no doubt players will look forward to is how far they can try and clear the pavilion, where it's slightly smaller in the pocket," informs Katey Martin. 

"Yeah, it looks a good surface. I think from a pace bowling point of view, this is one of the grounds around the world you want to turn up at for short-format cricket. It offers a little bit for the pace bowlers, a bit of pace and bounce, which I'm sure both attacks are looking forward to having a bowl on. I think both bowling attacks look forward to having a bowl and having first use of this," adds Tim Southee.

Oct 22, 2026 12:12 (IST)

IND vs NZ, Live Score: New Zealand's Playing XI

New Zealand (Playing XI): Finn Allen, Tim Seifert(w), Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Bevon Jacobs, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner(c), Nathan Smith, Adam Milne, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson.

Oct 22, 2026 12:11 (IST)

IND vs NZ, Live Score: India's Playing XI

India (Playing XI): Sanju Samson(w), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer(c), Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Naman Dhir, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Mayank Yadav.

Oct 22, 2026 12:11 (IST)

IND vs NZ, Live Score: Here's what Santner said at the toss

"We were going to bowl. Looks a fresh wicket. Guys are really excited for a big series. It's cool to play against India. The depth we've got is really good. (On Bevon Jacobs) He's shown what he can do, lot of power in the middle-order," said New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner. 

Oct 22, 2026 12:10 (IST)

IND vs NZ, Live Score: Here's what Iyer said at the toss

"Obviously a quick turnaround, want to have fair idea about how the wicket will play, how much the bounce it's going to offer, and based on that we took this decision. [How has the team travelled?] I think pretty well. A lot of them, they took a while to get accustomed to the conditions and also the weather, the time difference especially. But no complaints. We are a bunch of professionals and everybody knows that in the dressing room. [Takeaways from the WI series] Well, a lot of positives, honestly, especially in our batting. I think scoring 230, 250 in almost every alternate game, it was a plus for us. And also bowling-wise, it wasn't easy to bowl on smaller ground and flat wickets, but boys showed a lot of character and that is the same attitude and approach we want to come here with. We've got two changes. So Reddy comes in for Dube and Mayank comes in for Prince," said India skipper Shreyas Iyer. 

Oct 22, 2026 12:02 (IST)

India vs New Zealand Live Score: Toss

India skipper Shreyas Iyers wins the toss and opts to bowl against New Zealand in the first T20I of the five-match series on Thursday in Christchurch. 

Oct 22, 2026 11:58 (IST)

India vs New Zealand Live Score: Here's what Nayar said

“I think there is more trust in Shivam Dube because he has done it for India. Nitish Kumar Reddy has bowled well for SRH, but so far for India in T20Is, unfortunately, he hasn’t played that role yet. In the World Cup, we saw that in big matches, Shivam Dube took big wickets with his bouncers, with his line and short-pitched length. So, I think there is more trust in Shivam Dube overall.

“Also, with the power and the number at which he bats, I think he suits the Indian team and its makeup right now. So, I believe that, especially in New Zealand conditions, Shivam Dube will be more effective because he hits the deck. Shivam Dube is a tall bowler, which gives him a little more bounce than Nitish Kumar Reddy in foreign conditions,” Nayar told JioStar.

Oct 22, 2026 11:57 (IST)

India vs New Zealand Live Score: Nayar backs Dube

Former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar has backed Shivam Dube to make a greater impact than Nitish Kumar Reddy with the ball in New Zealand conditions, citing the all-rounder’s international experience, ability to extract bounce and performances in high-pressure matches. 

Oct 22, 2026 11:50 (IST)

IND vs NZ, Live Score: Here's what Pujara said

“In the T20 format, in my opinion, no player’s spot in the playing eleven is completely cemented because you select the team based on conditions. So, if the Indian team needs a bowling all-rounder, then Nitish Kumar Reddy can be that, because his bowling is better than Shivam Dube’s.

“If you are looking for a batter at number seven, then it’s not even a conversation. Shivam Dube is a good batter who can give you one or two overs in the T20 format. But if there are conditions in New Zealand where you need a bowler first and someone who can go and bat at number seven or eight, then Nitish Kumar Reddy can be that option,” Pujara told JioStar.

Oct 22, 2026 11:47 (IST)

IND vs NZ, Live Score: Pujara backs Nitish

Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara believes India’s choice between Nitish Kumar Reddy and Shivam Dube for the upcoming T20Is against New Zealand should depend on the conditions and the team’s balance, while backing Varun Chakaravarthy over Kuldeep Yadav as a spin option. 

Oct 22, 2026 11:45 (IST)

India vs New Zealand Live Score: Will Nitish Reddy play?

The return of veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar after nearly four years and fit-again mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy should solve part of the problem but questions remain over the abilities of all-rounders Nitish Kumar Reddy and Shivam Dube. India like to bat till number eight and they are unlikely to shed that mindset to strengthen their bowling.

Oct 22, 2026 11:40 (IST)

India vs New Zealand Live Score: Tough competition from New Zealand

Mitchell Santner's New Zealand would be eager to make it as difficult as possible for Shreyas Iyer, who is coming here after India's second successive gold-winning run at the Asian Games and a drawn hard-fought home series against the West Indies. However, if the New Zealand series follows the script that unfolded in the UK earlier this year, pressure will only mount on Iyer, who is expected to lead India in the T20 World Cup to be held in Australia and New Zealand in two years' time.

Oct 22, 2026 11:35 (IST)

IND vs NZ, Live Score: New experience for Indian stars

In the line-up of batters chosen for the upcoming assignment, only four have previously played T20Is in New Zealand. That includes skipper Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson, and Shivam Dube. Therefore, even though the likes of Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma and 15-year-old sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi are known marauders, the nippy and seaming conditions in this part of the world would need some adjustment.

Oct 22, 2026 11:34 (IST)

IND vs NZ, Live Score: All eyes on Playing XI

As skipper Shreyas Iyer made it clear that Vaibhav Sooryavanshi won't be a part of Playing XI, the focus is now on the team combination. While the recently-concluded series against West Indies showed the strength of the batters, it also somewhere exposed the vulnerability of the bowlers. In today's game, head coach Gautam Gambhir will have to make a tough choice in balacing the bowling lineup. The fight will be between Prince Yadav, Varn Chakarvarthy, and Mayank Yadav. 

Oct 22, 2026 11:22 (IST)

India vs New Zealand Live Score: Big challenge for India

Unbeaten in their last two T20 series in New Zealand, the Shreyas Iyer-led India would rely heavily on their batting firepower to outwit New Zealand even though the relatively inexperienced tourists have got barely two days to rest, acclimatise and train for the five-match rubber. Their most recent T20 clash on New Zealand soil was in 2022 in Napier where the rain-interrupted match ended in a tie via the Duckworth-Lewis method. The series, however, was claimed by India who managed to win the only game that was not wrecked by inclement weather.

Oct 22, 2026 11:09 (IST)

India vs New Zealand Live Score: Hello

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the 1st T20I of the five-match series between India and New Zealand, straight from the Hagley Oval, Christchurch. Stay tuned for all the live updates.