Brief
India elects to bowl after winning toss for first T20I in New Zealand
Shreyas Iyer said the Indian side had no complaints despite arriving only two days earlier.
By Felo News Desk · Published
India captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and elected to bowl in the first T20 cricket international against New Zealand at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Thursday, Oct 22, 2026, according to the Associated Press.
What happened
The match opened the five‑match T20 series that forms the first leg of a tour also featuring five one‑day internationals and two test matches. The Indian squad arrived in New Zealand two days before the game and had limited time to acclimatise.
What the reports add
The New Indian Express noted that India made two changes to the playing XI from the recent West Indies T20 series, bringing in Mayank Yadav for Prince Yadav and Nitish Kumar Reddy for Shivam Dube. It also listed New Zealand’s selected bowlers – seamers Nathan Smith, Matt Henry, Adam Milne and Lockie Ferguson, plus spinners Mitchell Santner, Michael Bracewell and Glenn Phillips – and said Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Arshdeep Singh were likely to share the new ball for India. The Associated Press focused on the toss decision and Iyer’s comment that the side had “no complaints” and described the team as “a band of professionals”.
What was said
Shreyas Iyer told the press, “We have no complaints. We’re a band of professionals and everyone knows that in the dressing room,” as reported by both outlets.
How it came about
The decision follows India’s recent toss choices in other formats, such as electing to bowl first in the opening ODI against West Indies in September 2026 (Felo coverage). The tour’s schedule was set after India’s T20 win over Japan on Sep 22 and a high‑scoring West Indies chase against India on Oct 9, both covered by Felo earlier this month.
Key facts
- India captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and chose to bowl. (winnipegfreepress.com)
- The match is the first T20 international of a tour that includes five T20s, five ODIs and two tests. (winnipegfreepress.com)
- India arrived in New Zealand two days before the match. (newindianexpress.com)
- Mayank Yadav and Nitish Kumar Reddy replaced Prince Yadav and Shivam Dube in India’s XI. (newindianexpress.com)
- New Zealand selected four seamers and three spinners for the match. (newindianexpress.com)
Timeline
- 2026-09-22 — India edged Japan in a 5‑over T20 thriller.
- 2026-10-09 — West Indies recorded a record‑breaking T20 chase against India.
- 2026-09-27 — India chose to bowl first in the opening ODI against West Indies.
