Debut for Venkatesh Iyer as India opt to bowl against Southee-led NZ
Toss India chose to bowl vs New Zealand
India handed the allrounder Venkatesh Iyer an international debut, and welcomed back the middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer , the spin-bowling allrounder Axar Patel , and the fast-bowling pair of Mohammed Siraj and Deepak Chahar, who weren't involved in their T20 World Cup campaign. Also back in the side after playing just one match at the World Cup is Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
This left India with three frontline seamers plus the medium-pace of Venkatesh, as well as two spinners in Axar and R Ashwin. The team sheet listed Venkatesh at No. 6, but it is possible he could open the batting - the role he plays at his IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders.
New Zealand made four changes to the team that lost the World Cup final on Sunday. Out went James Neesham, Adam Milne, Ish Sodhi and Kane Williamson - who is resting from all three T20Is - and in came Lockie Ferguson - who has recovered from the calf tear that ruled him out of the World Cup midway through the tournament - the legspinner Todd Astle, the left-hand batter Mark Chapman and the spin-bowling allrounder Rachin Ravindra.
