These 4 players including Harshit Rana are out. (Photo- PTI)
IND vs NZ 1st T20 Team India Playing 11: The five-match T20 series between India and New Zealand has started, which will prove to be very important for both the teams before the T20 World Cup 2026. The first match of this series is being played at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur, where the New Zealand team won the toss and decided to bowl first. At the same time, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav took some big and surprising decisions in the playing eleven for this match.
These 4 players are out of playing 11
Captain Suryakumar Yadav has not included four star players in the playing 11 for the first match of the series. Shreyas Iyer, Harshit Rana, Ravi Bishnoi and Kuldeep Yadav have missed playing this match. Of these, Shreyas Iyer has been included in the team due to Tilak Verma’s injury, but keeping in mind the preparations for the World Cup, the captain has given Ishan Kishan a chance to bat at number 3. At the same time, Harshit Rana had performed amazingly during the recent ODI series. But he too has not been able to make his place. Ravi Bishnoi has definitely returned to the squad, but he will have to wait more to play the match.
presenting #TeamIndia‘s Playing XI for the 1⃣st T20I 🙌
Updates ▶️ https://t.co/ItzV352OVv#INDvNZ | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/t1BZ6pNUS0
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 21, 2026
Christian Clarke’s debut
Christian Clarke has got a chance to make his T20I debut for New Zealand. Christian Clarke had performed brilliantly during the recently played ODI series and proved to be a big match winner for the team. Due to which he has now been successful in making a place in the T20 team also.
Playing 11 of both teams
India’s playing eleven: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dubey, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakraborty and Jasprit Bumrah.
New Zealand’s playing eleven: Tim Robinson, Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Darrell Mitchell, Mitchell Santner, Christian Clarke, Kyle Jameson, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy.