India vs New Zealand Prediction & Match Preview – 2nd ODI, New Zealand tour of India
Match summary
Our preview of India vs New Zealand in the second ODI at Rajkot: series context, probable XIs, pitch, weather and expected scores for the match.
Match details
| Match | India vs New Zealand, 2nd ODI |
|---|---|
| Series | New Zealand tour of India 2026 |
| Date | 14 Jan 2026 |
| Start time | 8:00 am GMT / 1:30 pm local |
| Venue | Niranjan Shah Stadium, Rajkot |
| Status | Played |
| Our pick | India |
| Toss pick | New Zealand |
Matches in this series
Match preview
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.
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.
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
| Innings | Predicted | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| First innings | 280–310 | – |
| Second innings | 260–295 | – |
India
India won the first ODI comfortably and have a strong batting group, so they are favoured to wrap up the series.
Toss pick: New Zealand
FAQ
Where is the second ODI between India and New Zealand being played?
It is scheduled for the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot on 14 January 2026.
Who do we pick to win?
Our preview picks India, who lead the series after the first ODI.
How did the first ODI go?
India chose to field in Vadodara and chased the target with an over and four wickets to spare.
Probable XIs
Expected line-ups from our preview. c = captain, wk = wicketkeeper.
India
- Rohit Sharma
- Shubman Gillc
- Virat Kohli
- Shreyas Iyer
- KL Rahulwk
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Washington Sundar
- Harshit Rana
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Mohammed Siraj
- Prasidh Krishna
New Zealand
- Devon Conway
- Henry Nicholls
- Will Young
- Daryl Mitchell
- Glenn Phillips
- Mitchell Haywk
- Michael Bracewellc
- Zakary Foulkes
- Kristian Clarke
- Kyle Jamieson
- Adithya Ashok
Head-to-head
Earlier meetings of India and New Zealand that we covered.