India have made two changes to their playing XI for the big 2021 T20 World Cup match against New Zealand with Ishan Kishan and Shardul Thakur getting their first match of the tournament.
Ishan is replacing an injured Suryakumar Yadav who is nursing a back spasm. Thakur is playing in place of Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
"Suryakumar Yadav complained of back spasms. He has been advised rest by the BCCI Medical Team and has stayed back at the team hotel," said a BCCI statement after the toss.
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson won the toss and elected to bowl first in the integral Group 2 match.
Williamson too said New Zealand had made a change with pacer Adam Milne coming into the playing XI in place of keeper Tim Seifert, which means batter Devon Conway will keep wickets.
"Dew factor at this time of the year. It's been a long break but it now comes thick and fast, Look forward to another challenge," said Kane.
Kohli too said he would have liked to bowl first, as has become the winning-formula in matches at this T20 World Cup.
"We would have bowled first as well. We need a solid start and have wickets in hand. It's ridiculous, we are playing twice in 10 days. The guys have recovered well. It's another opportunity to come out and correct the mistakes," said the Indian skipper.
Playing XIs
India: Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli (captain), Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakravarthy, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, and Jasprit Bumrah
New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Daryl Mitchell, Kane Williamson (captain), James Neesham, Devon Conway (wicketkeeper), Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Adam Milne, and Trent Boult
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