India vs New Zealand Prediction & Match Preview – 2nd ODI, New Zealand tour of India

India go to Rajkot with a chance to secure the ODI series. Shubman Gill’s side won the opening game in Vadodara after choosing to field, and they chased the target with an over and four wickets to spare. A second victory would give them an unbeatable lead.

New Zealand, led by Michael Bracewell, fought hard with both bat and ball in the first match but fell short. They will be wary of the conditions in Rajkot and eager to level the series and keep it alive.

India’s expected XI is built around Rohit Sharma, Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul, with Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav offering spin and Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and Harshit Rana the pace options. New Zealand’s line-up features Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips and Kyle Jamieson, along with Adithya Ashok’s spin.

Probable playing XI

Pitch report

The Niranjan Shah Stadium pitch tends to be balanced. Quick bowlers can find movement and bounce early, which makes the first overs important, before the surface settles into a good batting track. As the game goes on, spin can come into play with some grip. The boundaries are moderate in size, so death-over hitting can matter.

Weather

At 1:30 pm local time it should be warm and sunny at around 24–26 °C, with clear skies, low humidity and light winds. Rain is very unlikely in January, though the heat may test fitness.

Expected scores

• 1st innings: 280–310
• 2nd innings: 260–295