Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], January 27 (ANI): India captain Hardik Pandya won the toss and opted to bowl first against New Zealand in the opening game of the three-match T20I series here at JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi on Friday.

After clinching the three-match ODI series by 3-0 against New Zealand, Team India will take on Blackcaps in the first T20I on Friday at JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi. All-rounder Hardik Pandya will captain Team India in the three-match T20I series, with Suryakumar Yadav serving as his deputy, as players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are rested.

"We will have a bowl first. Looks like a good track. I can see dew right now. Just go out there and play the best cricket we know. It is a young team. We will focus on playing good cricket. Playing the ODIs before T20Is makes it easy to pass on. For a lot of them it is an experience just being in the team. Yuzi, Mukesh, Jitesh and Prithvi miss out," said India captain Hardik Pandya at the time of the toss.

"We were challenged in the ODIs. There is no experience like playing India at home. Would be a challenge for some of the new guys. Looks pretty good. The dew is setting in. Would have been good to bowl first. Putting runs on the board and then defending would be challenging," New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner said.

India (Playing XI): Ishan Kishan (w), Shubman Gill, Rahul Tripathi, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (c), Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, Shivam Mavi, Kuldeep Yadav, Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh.

New Zealand (Playing XI): Finn Allen, Devon Conway (w), Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Jacob Duffy, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson, Blair Tickner. (ANI)