India vs New Zealand (NZ) 2026 1st T20 Likely Best Playing 11

Suryakumar Yadav returns as Captain, as we explore India vs New Zealand 2026 1st T20 match likely best playing 11 for both teams.

After a humiliating 1-2 defeat in the ODI series – the first for New Zealand in India since 1988, the action now shifts to the last T20 series before Team India and New Zealand, both move to the T20 World Cup 2026. India and New Zealand lock horns in a long 5-match T20 series starting Jan 21. It will be another epic series, but unlike the ODI series, India will play a stronger New Zealand in T20Is.

However, the Indian team is also pretty strong. Unlike the ODIs and Tests, the GG-era T20 team is mostly a strong outfit. It runs in autopilot mode, with almost the same team that has been playing even before GG had arrived. With Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, and Axar Patel returning, the T20 Indian team is one of the strongest in the world currently. So, unlike the ODIs, New Zealand will have to do much more to defeat this Indian team, which is the best in the world currently.

Historically, Team India and New Zealand have faced each other 25 times in T20Is. The record seems almost comparable with India winning 12 times and New Zealand winning 10 times. Given such healthy competition, expect the 5-match T20 series to also be competitive. With this being the last series before the T20 World Cup 2026, let’s look at India vs New Zealand 2026, 1st T20, the best predicted playing 11 for both teams.

Key Match Details

Tour Details: New Zealand Tour of India 2026

Match Details: India vs New Zealand 2026 1st T20I

Where: Nagpur

When: January 21, 7 pm IST

India vs New Zealand 2026 Official T20 Squad for the Indian Team

Batters

• Abhishek Sharma
• Rinku Singh
• Suryakumar Yadav (c)
• Shreyas Iyer (1st Three T20Is)
• Tilak Varma (4th & 5th T20I)

WKs

• Ishan Kishan
• Sanju Samson

All-rounders

• Axar Patel
• Hardik Pandya
• Shivam Dube

Bowlers

• Arshdeep Singh
• Harshit Rana
• Jasprit Bumrah
• Kuldeep Yadav
• Ravi Bishnoi
• Varun Chakravarthy

The loss of Tilak Varma and Washington Sundar changes the team combination drastically for the T20 series. Tilak Varma was one of the most important pillars in the T20I setup for India. However, his loss means Team India now have to reshuffle their batting order a bit, and look for a team combination that brings good balance to their strongest playing 11. But without Tilak and Washington, what’s the strongest playing 11 that Team India can adopt for the T20 series? Well, let’s look at it in detail, playing 11 analysis.

Even without Tilak, one thing that doesn’t change in the team is the top order. Expect India to continue with the strong opening combination of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma, with Suryakumar Yadav at the number 3 position. While Sanju and Abhishek are in prime form currently, the same can’t be said about Suryakumar Yadav. SKY needs to get back to form, and it is now or never for SKY to redeem itself. With his batting position now fixed at 3, expect SKY to make some inroads in the batting department. It’s a strong batting order, and if SKY finds his form, it will be among the world’s best

Batting depth or Bowling depth

Now, the middle-order is the area where we will see solid changes in the playing 11. With Tilak Varma not there, India may opt for Shreyas Iyer for the number 4 position. Shreyas comes with a ton of experience in the T20 format, and he can be an ideal replacement for Tilak Varma. With Iyer at 4, expect India to play Hardik, Dube, and Axar at 5, 6, and 7, respectively. This makes the Indian team’s middle-order pretty strong currently. But how about the batting depth that the Indian team will look at?

Now, India can strategise their number 8 in two ways. Either they can have a bowling All-rounder like Harshit Rana donning that role, or they can have a pure finisher like Rinku Singh, and ask Hardik and Axar to almost bowl their full quota of 4 overs. Between the two, India are likely to choose the latter as 5 bowlers + Shivam Dube as sixth bowler is more than enough for the team. Having someone like Rinku Singh only improves the team’s batting department considerably.

Now, coming to the bowling department, Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy should lead the pace and Spin department for the team, with Hardik and Axar being the other two bowlers. For the fifth bowler, India should choose one between Arshdeep and Kuldeep, depending on the pitch they play on. With the match being played in Nagpur, expect India to play Kuldeep Yadav ahead of Arshdeep Singh for the 1st T20I.

India vs New Zealand 1st T20I Best Playing 11 for the Indian Team

1. Abhishek Sharma
2. Sanju Samson (wk)
3. Suryakumar Yadav (c)
4. Shreyas Iyer
5. Hardik Pandya
6. Shivam Dube
7. Rinku Singh
8. Axar Patel
9. Jasprit Bumrah
10. Kuldeep Yadav
11. Varun Chakravarthy

India vs New Zealand 2026 Official T20 Squad and Players List for NZ

Batters

• Mark Chapman
• Tim Robinson

Wicket-keepers

• Devon Conway

All-rounders

• Michael Bracewell
• Bevon Jacobs
• Daryl Mitchell
• James Neesham
• Glenn Phillips
• Rachin Ravindra
• Mitchell Santner (c)
• Zakary Foulkes

Bowlers

• Jacob Duffy
• Matt Henry
• Kyle Jamieson
• Ish Sodhi

Talking about New Zealand’s playing 11, we should see Devon Conway and Tim Robinson as openers, with Rachin Ravindra playing at number 3. Mark Champan and Daryl Mitchell should take care of the middle-order duties, whereas Glenn Phillips and Michael Bracewell should play the role of a finisher. Mitchell Santner should provide the desired batting depth, and Kyle Jamieson, Jacob Duffy, and Matt Henry should complete the rest of the bowling lineup. 

India vs New Zealand 1st T20 Best Playing 11 for the NZ Team

1. Devon Conway (wk)
2. Tim Robinson
3. Rachin Ravindra
4. Mark Chapman
5. Daryl Mitchell
6. Glenn Phillips
7. Michael Bracewell
8. Mitchell Santner (c)
9. Kyle Jamieson
10. Jacob Duffy
11. Matt Henry 

So, that’s about the best predicted playing 11 for India vs New Zealand 2026 1st T20. It will be another competitive match, with India, undoubtedly, starting as the favourites. All eyes will be on India’s playing 11, as without Tilak and Washington, it is bound to have a couple of changes. Also, with Varun, Bumrah, and Hardik returning, the Indian team should be back to autopilot mode. However, the fact still remains that India have been a bad ODI and Test side under Gautam Gambhir ever since he took over.

Thanks for reading! Looking at the squad of both teams, what’s your best playing 11 for India vs New Zealand 2026 1st T20? Please email your thoughts to business@cricalytics.com, or in the comments section below. 

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