Iyer to lead India in five-match New Zealand T20I series

India will begin a five-match T20I series against New Zealand on October 22, with Shreyas Iyer captaining the visiting side and Mitchell Santner leading the hosts. The series is scheduled to run through November 1, with matches in Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland and Hamilton. The opening two games are set for Hagley Oval in Christchurch on October 22 and 24. The third T20I is scheduled for October 27 at Hnry Stadium in Wellington, followed by a match at Eden Park in Auckland on October 30. The series finale is set for November 1 at Seddon Park in Hamilton. All five matches are scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m. India time, according to the series guide. New Zealand Cricket shared photographs of the first group of Indian players and staff arriving at Christchurch Airport ahead of the tour. The group included coach Gautam Gambhir, fast-bowling coach Morne Morkel and players Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Varun Chakaravarthy, Naman Dhir and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Iyer’s recent batting figures provide context for his appointment. He led India’s scoring in the home T20I series against West Indies, making 181 runs in four innings, including an unbeaten 102 in the opening...