New Zealand vs India Preview - Team news, Predicted lineups | Second International friendly
The All Whites secured a dominating win against India in the first friendly.
Following a humiliating 5-0 defeat to New Zealand in the first international friendly, India will face the All Whites once again on Sunday, November 15 (2026) at the One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch, with kick off scheduled for 8:40 AM IST.
The Blue Tigers endured a tough outing in Auckland against New Zealand in the first friendly, getting completely outplayed by the hosts.
With another opportunity to face the All Whites, Khalid Jamil’s men will be eager to make a comeback in the second friendly and show signs of improvement. In this article, we will take a look at the match preview of the second international friendly between New Zealand and India.
The Stakes
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New Zealand
For the All Whites, this is an opportunity to showcase their dominance in world football with another heavy win over India following their 5-0 win in the first friendly. New Zealand may see this second friendly as an opportunity to test new players and build for the upcoming FIFA Qualifiers.
In terms of the result, the match doesn’t hold immense value for the All Whites, however, a defeat against a struggling Indian side could completely change the narrative. So, New Zealand will be looking for a comfortable win in the second friendly against India.
India
For India, the situation is completely different compared to New Zealand. Under head coach Khalid Jamil, the men’s senior team have only won one game in 2026 and have conceded 15 goals in the last three matches (4 goals vs Brazil, 6 goals vs Uruguay and 5 goals vs New Zealand).
The Blue Tigers must aim for a positive result in the second friendly against the All Whites, as it will be crucial in the FIFA World Rankings ahead of the FIFA/AFC Qualifiers and could decide whether India plays in Round 1 or 2.
Another humiliating loss could make things worse for India and head coach Khalid Jamil going forward. So, it is a must win match for the Indian football team.
Team News
Khalid Jamil will have his squad available for the second friendly against the All Whites. New Zealand head coach, Darren Bazeley will also have his fully fit squad available for the second friendly against the Blue Tigers.
Head-to-Head Record
Matches Played – 3
India wins – 0
New Zealand – 2
Draws – 1
Predicted Lineups
India (4-4-2)
Vishal Kaith (GK), Abhishek Singh,Mehtab Singh, Jay Gupta, Anirudh Thapa, Hnate, Liston Colaco, Md Suhail, Ryan Williams, Manvir Singh
New Zealand (4-2-3-1)
Alex Paulsen (GK), Callan Elliot, Bill Tuloma, Nando Pjnaker, James McGarry, Alex Rufer, Matt Garbett, Callum McCowatt, Logan Rogerson, Jesse Randall, Chris Wood
Players to Watchout
Jesse Randall (New Zealand)
New Zealand’s Jesse Randall wrecked havoc on the Blue Tigers in the first friendly scoring twice in the first half and completely dominating the wings.
The 24-year-old winger currently plays in Scottish Premiership for Dundee United and has scored three goals and provided three assists in the 2026-27 season for the club.
Jesse’s ability to play everywhere in the frontline makes him a very important player for the All Whites. He will once again look to dominate the Blue Tigers and will create problems for Khalid Jamil’s side. It will be interesting to see how India deal with the “Jesse Randall” threat.
Anirudh Thapa (India)
From India’s perspective, all eyes will be on their captain Anirudh Thapa. The 28-year-old midfielder will need to be at his absolute best to deal with New Zealand’s midfield and provide an advantage to India in the middle of the park, as this could decide the outcome of the game.
Thapa will also have the additional responsibility of organising the midfield during the game, winning possession and creating chances for the attackers, especially during counter attacks. India will look to count on his experience and ability to get a positive result in Christchurch against the All Whites.
Telecast Details
The second friendly between India and New Zealand will take place on Sunday, 15 November (2026) at the One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch. It will kick off at 8:40 AM IST.
The match will be live streamed on FIFA+ on DAZN.com & the DAZN app.
Where to watch India’s second friendly against New Zealand live?
The match will be live streamed on FIFA+ on DAZN.com & the DAZN app.
When will India play New Zealand in the second friendly match?
The second friendly between India and New Zealand will take place on Sunday, 15 November (2026) at the One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch. It will kick off at 8:40 AM IST.
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