India vs New Zealand T20 Series 2026: Schedule, venues, ticket booking, squads, and live streaming details

India begin their final run-up to the T20 World Cup with a five-match home T20I series against New Zealand starting Wednesday. With less than three weeks left for the global tournament, the series acts as a key rehearsal for the defending champions. The spotlight will remain on captain Suryakumar Yadav, whose leadership record stands strong even as his batting form faces scrutiny ahead of the World Cup.

India vs New Zealand T20Is: Schedule and venues

1st T20I: January 21, Nagpur – 7:00 PM IST

2nd T20I: January 23, Raipur – 7:00 PM IST


3rd T20I: January 25, Guwahati – 7:00 PM IST

4th T20I: January 28, Visakhapatnam – 7:00 PM IST

5th T20I: January 31, Thiruvananthapuram – 7:00 PM IST

All matches will begin at 7:00 PM IST, with the toss scheduled for 6:30 PM IST.

India vs New Zealand T20Is: Live streaming and telecast details

The T20I series between India and New Zealand will be broadcast live on the Star Sports Network.
Live streaming of the matches will be available on the JioHotstar app and website.
Fans can also follow live updates and coverage on TimesofIndia.com.

India vs New Zealand T20Is: Tickets

Ticket booking facility for the India vs New Zealand T20I series is available on Bookmyshow. Check ticket prices and booking process according to the venue.

India vs New Zealand T20Is: Squads

India squad: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Rinku Singh, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana.

New Zealand squad: Mitchell Santner (captain), Devon Conway, Bevon Jacobs, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Tim Robinson, Jimmy Neesham, Ish Sodhi, Zak Foulkes, Mark Chapman, Michael Bracewell, Rachin Ravindra, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy, Kristian Clarke.

Why Ind vs NZ T20I series matters before the T20 World Cup

Since taking over as India’s T20I captain in 2024, Suryakumar Yadav has led the team to a winning percentage of over 72. That record has helped India stay in control in the shortest format, even as the skipper goes through a prolonged phase without big scores. Playing at home, with expectations of becoming the first team to defend a T20 World Cup title, the pressure on both the team and the captain is now clear.

India’s T20 setup has stayed largely settled over the last two years, backed by defined roles and strong IPL performances. New Zealand, meanwhile, arrive with confidence after registering several historic firsts in India across formats. While India start as favourites in T20Is, the series also offers New Zealand another chance to test India’s combinations before the global event.

Suryakumar Yadav: A captain under the scanner

Beyond team results, Suryakumar Yadav’s batting form remains a key subplot. The five matches give him match time and pressure situations similar to what awaits in the World Cup. For India, the goal is clarity. For the captain, it is about timing his return to runs.