Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Prince Yadav have returned to the playing XI as the India National Cricket Team has won the toss and elected to bowl first in the second T20I against the New Zealand National Cricket Team at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Saturday (October 24).

Captain Shreyas Iyer has decided to chase, with Dew expected to play a big role in the second T20I between India and New Zealand at Hagley Oval. India has made two changes to their playing XI. Earlier, Senior India players refused rest for West Indies T20Is despite BCCI’s request.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to bat at No. 3 against New Zealand

The biggest talking point is Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's batting position, as the teenage batting sensation has been denied the opening spot. The left-hander will bat at No. 3 against the Black Caps at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.

Another change is that Prince Yadav returned to the playing XI in place of Mayank Yadav as a tactical change, with Ishan Kishan missing the second T20I due to injury in Christchurch.

Iyer stressed the importance of maintaining an aggressive approach while staying proactive in the field and avoiding situations where India needs an extra fielder inside the circle.

#TeamIndia opt to bowl first in the 2️⃣nd T20I Vaibhav Sooryavanshi & Prince Yadav back in the XI 📝 Updates ▶️ https://t.co/FZtUFIFWS2 #NZvIND https://t.co/VCof26ERFg

— BCCI (@BCCI) October 24, 2026

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