India battle jet lag as tough NZ test awaits in Christchurch

Days after a rain-hit draw against the West Indies at home led to the series ending in a 2-2 draw, a jetlagged India will take on a strong New Zealand in the first of five T20Is here at the Hagley Oval on Thursday.

The schedule has given India little breathing space. Their Asian Games gold medal-winning campaign in Japan ended on October 3, before the home series against the West Indies began three days later in Lucknow, and the decider was washed out in Bengaluru on October 17.

The side has managed just one training session in Christchurch, and the situation will feel uncomfortably familiar to Iyer. In his first assignment as captain, India landed in Ireland without Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya and lost 0-2, their first defeat to the hosts in any format. England then beat them as well and exposed their shortcomings on pitches with some spice.

Bumrah and Hardik are missing again. Bumrah has been rested with the Test series in mind, while Hardik has not played international cricket since the T20 World Cup final in Ahmedabad in March, when India racked up 255 on their way to retaining the title at home.

The hosts, however, have reason to feel confident. They won their most recent Test and ODI series in India and will have most of their first-choice players available for the first time since that final in Ahmedabad. Mark Chapman and Rachin Ravindra are out injured, which is likely to open up a top-three spot for Devon Conway alongside Finn Allen and Tim Seifert.

Allen will be playing a T20 at home for the first time since March 2025. The explosive opener averages 35.68 at a strike rate of 184.21 in New Zealand. The hosts are also well stocked with pace bowling options via Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry, Adam Milne, Lockie Ferguson, Kyle Jamieson and Blair Tickner.

India’s most pressing problem is the make-up of their XI. Their spin-bowling all-rounders may not be as effective away from Asia, and India could leave out Naman Dhir, who impressed against the West Indies, to fit in both Nitish Kumar Reddy and Shivam Dube.

Recalled pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar is expected to play, while a fit-again Varun Chakaravarthy could miss out if the team management opts for a third seamer in Prince Yadav.

Conditions could also take some getting used to for the Shreyas Iyer-led Indian team. Days have been pleasant with bright sunshine, but it is expected to turn chilly by the 8pm start time, and fresh early-season pitches could offer something to the seamers. Dew may also tempt captains to opt to chase.

History, though, favours India a little bit. They have won their last two bilateral T20I series in New Zealand and 16 of their 20 completed matches against the Black Caps since January 2020. Ishan Kishan needs seven runs to go past Suryakumar Yadav’s 1,164 for the most T20I runs by an Indian in a calendar year, and it remains to be seen if this happens in front of a sell-out crowd on Thursday.

Sooryavanshi told to be patient by captain Iyer: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi “can’t just walk straight into the team”, India captain Iyer said on Wednesday, after calls for the teenage sensation to be unleashed for the T20 series against New Zealand.

The 15-year-old Sooryavanshi made his international debut for India in July but has been used sparingly against top opponents despite his glittering Indian Premier League form.

“He has many more years ahead to get opportunities,” Iyer said when asked about the teenager’s role in the squad.

“It’s not as if he can just walk straight into the team right now because our openers have been scoring consistently and also won us the World Cup.”

Sooryavanshi has taken the cricketing world by storm after making his IPL debut aged 14 years and 23 days in 2025.

Nine days later he scored his first IPL century.

In eight T20 internationals Sooryavanshi is averaging just over 30 at a strike rate of 186, below his IPL average of 44 and strike rate of nearly 229.

Since July Sooryavanshi’s rivals for India’s opening spot, Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma, have averaged 25 and 30 respectively, at strike rates of 172 and 200.

Iyer said Sooryavanshi would learn plenty from the tour, with or without game time.

“Look at it this way: coming overseas like this will give him a fair idea of how the game plays on these particular wickets, so next time when he comes he will be very well prepared for these conditions.”

Agencies