Overview
- The opener at the BCA Kotambi Stadium is the venue’s first men’s international match.
- The BCCI confirmed Pant sustained an oblique muscle tear in the nets and will miss the series, with KL Rahul the first-choice wicketkeeper and Dhruv Jurel drafted as cover.
- Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli headline India’s batting after recent strong Vijay Hazare outings as the hosts enter as favorites.
- Captain Shubman Gill and vice-captain Shreyas Iyer return from injuries, while workload management keeps Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya out, shifting pace duties to Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana and Prasidh Krishna.
- New Zealand arrive with a new-look squad led by Michael Bracewell, missing Kane Williamson and Mitchell Santner, with experience from Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Will Young and Glenn Phillips.