IND vs NZ: Why did Jasprit Bumrah miss second T20I in Raipur?

Jasprit Bumrah is the best bowler in the world currently, in the 20-over format.

India and New Zealand lock horns in the second T20I of the five-match series at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur on Friday, January 23. The contest forms a crucial part of both teams’ final preparations ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled to begin on February 7.

Team India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, head into the match with confidence after a dominant 48-run victory in the series opener at Nagpur. After being put in to bat, the hosts piled up a massive 238 and then restricted the Black Caps to 190.

The Mitchell Santner-led New Zealand side will be eager to bounce back and level the series in Raipur. The Kiwis will be boosted by the return of Tim Seifert and Matt Henry into the playing XI.

Suryakumar Yadav finally got his call right at the toss and opted to bowl first. As India look to build on their dominant showing in Nagpur, the hosts have also sprung an unexpected change to their pace attack ahead of the contest.

IND vs NZ: Why did Jasprit Bumrah miss second T20I in Raipur?

Jasprit Bumrah, India’s all-format spearhead, returned to the national side in the opening T20I against New Zealand, marking his first appearance of 2026. The right-arm quick endured an uncharacteristically expensive outing, conceding 29 runs in three overs and failing to complete his full quota.

While India still cruised to victory, Bumrah’s figures reflected a clear lack of match rhythm after limited game time. Despite featuring in the series opener, the team management has decided to rest Bumrah as a precautionary measure.

In his place, Harshit Rana has been handed another opportunity. Rana impressed during the ODI series with impactful performances with both bat and ball, and this outing gives him a valuable chance to stake his claim ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

“I think we play every game, we try and improve on all the aspects. We never get perfect. We are always learning. But yeah, we look to do the same things again. We try and do the same thing in the bowling department, fielding and batting.

We have two changes – Axar is missing out because he got hit in the last game. And Bumrah is resting tonight. So Harshit and Kuldeep come in,” said Suryakumar Yadav

Although Bumrah remains an automatic choice when fully fit, Rana will be keen to capitalize on this opportunity by showcasing his value as a genuine bowling all-rounder and strengthening his case in the World Cup build-up.

IND vs NZ: India playing XI for second T20I

Sanju Samson(w), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy

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