Overview
- New Zealand captain Michael Bracewell won the toss and opted to field at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot.
- India named Nitish Kumar Reddy in the playing XI after Washington Sundar was ruled out, with Ayush Badoni remaining a squad replacement.
- New Zealand handed a debut to left-arm spinner Jayden Lennox, who came in for leg-spinner Adithya Ashok.
- The Rajkot pitch is historically favorable for batting with high first-innings scores, though evening dew could assist the chasing side.
- India lead 1–0 after chasing 301 in Vadodara, driven by Virat Kohli’s 93 as Kyle Jamieson took 4/41, and today’s match is live on Star Sports and JioHotstar.