💡

Key Takeaways

1🏏 Jasprit Bumrah has been rested for the 2nd T20I as India manage his workload in the five-match series
2🤕 Axar Patel is ruled out due to a finger injury sustained during the first T20I in Nagpur
3🎯 Kuldeep Yadav and Harshit Rana come into India's playing XI as replacements
4🏟️ This is India's 100th T20I at home but only the second ever played in Raipur
5💧 Dew was already setting in at toss time, influencing both captains to prefer bowling first
6📊 India lead the five-match series 1-0 after winning the opener in Nagpur

"Harshit Rana and Kuldeep Yadav came into their side"

India vs New Zealand 2nd T20I: Bumrah Rested, Axar Injured as Kuldeep and Harshit Rana Step In

India captain Suryakumar Yadav won the crucial toss and elected to bowl first in the second T20I against New Zealand at Raipur, with dew already beginning to set in on the ground. The decision aligned with what New Zealand would have done had they won the toss, highlighting the significance of conditions in this contest.

Key Team Changes for India

India made two changes to their playing XI from the series opener in Nagpur. The most notable adjustment was the resting of pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, a strategic move with a long series ahead. Additionally, all-rounder Axar Patel was ruled out due to a finger injury sustained during the first T20I.

Stepping into the XI are spinner Kuldeep Yadav and fast bowler Harshit Rana. Rana's inclusion is particularly significant as it allows India to maintain their batting depth, with the pacer slotting in at No. 8 to provide a cushion in the lower order.

New Zealand's Triple Change

The visitors made three alterations to their lineup:

Tim Seifert replaced Tim Robinson
Zak Foulkes came in for Kristian Clarke
Matt Henry took Kyle Jamieson's spot

These changes indicate New Zealand's intent to find the right combination as they look to level the series.

Historic Venue and Ground Dimensions

This match marks a significant milestone for Indian cricket — it is India's 100th T20I on home soil, though only the second T20I ever to be played in Raipur. The pitch has been placed right in the center of the ground, with the square boundaries measuring 68 meters and the straight boundary extending to 75 meters from the middle.

Playing XIs

India: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy

New Zealand: Tim Seifert (wk), Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner (c), Matt Henry, Zak Foulkes, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy

Series Context and What Lies Ahead

India enter this match with a 1-0 lead in the five-match series following their victory in Nagpur. The decision to rest Bumrah early in the series suggests India's management is taking a long-term view, ensuring their premier fast bowler remains fresh for the remainder of the series and upcoming commitments.

The combination of Kuldeep Yadav alongside Varun Chakravarthy gives India a potent spin duo, while Harshit Rana will look to make an impact with the new ball. With dew expected to play a role, India's bowlers will need to be clinical in the first innings to give their batters a manageable target to chase.