Mitchell Santner didn’t sound like a defeated captain after New Zealand put up 190 in Nagpur and still lost by 48 runs. His message was blunt—and telling.
“There’s no real way to squeeze dot balls against this Indian team,” Santner said. “You have to be on it from the first ball to have any chance.”
That assessment sums up India’s dominance in modern T20 internationals. In a format where momentum swings are constant, India’s edge lies in relentless batting depth. While their bowling attack remains elite, it is the batters who continue to dictate outcomes—and that hasn’t changed since lifting the World Cup two years ago.
With less than a month to go before a home T20 World Cup, India appear to have cleared the brief selection and balance issues that surfaced earlier. Once again, they look like the benchmark side. The opening match in Nagpur underlined that reality, and Raipur presents another chance to sharpen their finishing touches.
New Zealand Chase Margins, India Project Inevitability
Inside the New Zealand camp, the focus will be on perspective. Santner is likely to remind his side that they weren’t blown away in all phases. The batting delivered, and the bowlers showed moments of control.
But belief in T20 cricket cannot exist in theory alone.
For New Zealand, the task is about tightening key phases, extending pressure moments, and pushing back against the air of inevitability that surrounds India in this format. For India, the goal is simpler: absorb resistance, reinforce the hierarchy, and keep delivering reminders of why they remain the team to beat.
Match Details
Match: India vs New Zealand, 2nd T20I
Date & Time: January 23, 7:00 PM IST
Venue: Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, Raipur
What to Expect in Raipur
A full house is on the cards. The 60,000-capacity stadium should be packed on Friday night. Conditions remain intriguing—Raipur has hosted just one T20I previously, in 2023. The most recent international match here was an ODI in December 2025, where India scored 358 before South Africa chased it down, suggesting another batter-friendly contest may be in store.
Team News
India
Axar Patel was forced off in Nagpur after taking a blow to his left index finger, which left him bleeding. With limited recovery time, his availability remains uncertain.
If Axar is ruled out, India face a familiar balance dilemma. Kuldeep Yadav offers a spin replacement but weakens batting depth. Washington Sundar, the ideal like-for-like option, is sidelined with a side strain and unavailable for the series.
Probable XI:
Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel/Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun CV
New Zealand
With four games still to play, changes aren’t guaranteed, but New Zealand may consider adding experience by bringing in Matt Henry to bolster the pace attack.
Probable XI:
Tim Robinson, Devon Conway (wk), Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (c), Kristian Clarke/Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy
Key Numbers to Watch
- 35.8% of Rinku Singh’s T20I runs have come in the final two overs.
- Sanju Samson’s split form: 436 runs at a strike rate of 180.16 in 2024, compared to 22 runs at 126.85 in 2025.
- Since 2025, Glenn Phillips has scored 500 runs in 16 T20I innings at a strike rate of 149.70.
- Mitchell Santner has the third-best economy rate (6.80) among spinners with 50+ T20I overs bowled in India.
What They Said
“I don’t see six-hitting as high risk,” said Abhishek Sharma. “The focus is on using the powerplay well—that’s what I’ve been practising.”
Santner on Jacob Duffy: “He’s taken on that senior bowling role. When he swings it early, it makes a big difference for us.”
