India begin five-match T20I series against New Zealand on Thursday

India open their five-match T20I series against New Zealand at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Thursday as the first leg of an all-format tour that also includes five ODIs and two Tests. Shreyas Iyer leads a squad that includes eight or nine players visiting New Zealand for the first time.

Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson are expected to open the batting, with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in contention for a place. Bhuvneshwar Kumar returns after four years away from the T20I side. The remaining matches will be played in Wellington, Auckland and Hamilton before the ODI and Test legs begin.

Sony LIV holds broadcast rights for the series. India last toured New Zealand for a bilateral T20I series in 2022, winning all five matches including two Super Over victories.