India began 2026 with a four-wicket win over New Zealand in Vadodara ODI, successfully chasing a target of 301 with an over to spare.

They face New Zealand again in Rajkot, where a win would help the Shubman Gill-led side clinch the three-match series early.

Weather

The weather in Rajkot ahead of the second ODI is expected to be pleasant, with plenty of sunshine and temperatures ranging between 13°C and 27°C. Conditions around the 1.30 pm start should hover near 25°C and remain comfortable throughout the match, with dew unlikely to play a role under lights.

Pitch report

The pitch at the Niranjan Shah Stadium is traditionally batting-friendly, offering good bounce and carry. With the highest ODI total here being 352 and no team bowled out for under 250, another high-scoring contest is expected against New Zealand.

Stats

Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot has hosted four ODIs, all won by teams batting first, highlighting its batting-friendly nature. The venue has produced consistently high scores, with an average match total of 611 runs and no team dismissed for under 250. Totals regularly cross 300, underlined by 274 boundaries. Bowlers have taken 70 wickets at a high average, with catches accounting for most dismissals, stressing the importance of control over aggression.

India Probable XI

Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ayush Badoni, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.

New Zealand Probable XI

Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Mitch Hay (wk), Michael Bracewell (c), Glenn Phillips, Zak Foulkes, Kyle Jamieson, Kristian Clarke, Adithya Ashok.

When and where to watch

The toss for the 2nd ODI between India and New Zealand is scheduled for 1 PM IST. Fans can watch the match live on the Star Sports Network. It will also be live-streamed on JioHotstar for online viewers. (With inputs from Agencies)