India chose to bat first after winning the toss on the second day of the rain-affected opening test against New Zealand on Thursday. The first day's play had been completely washed out due to rain, with more bad weather expected throughout the week.

India made two changes to their squad for the match. Sarfaraz Khan replaced the injured Shubman Gill, while spinner Kuldeep Yadav came in for pace bowler Akash Deep. Captain Rohit Sharma acknowledged the challenges posed by the conditions. "The pitch has been under covers for a couple of days, so it’s going to be a bit sticky early on. Our aim is to put runs on the board. Although we lost an entire day, a lot can still happen in the remaining four days, and we’re hoping for a result."

New Zealand, led by their new permanent captain Tom Latham, are aiming for their first test victory against India since 1988. The team is missing their key player Kane Williamson for the match, which is being held at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

India, on the other hand, has a strong home record, having won 18 consecutive series on their own turf since losing to England in 2012. The Black Caps have chosen three seamers—Tim Southee, William O'Rourke, and Matt Henry—in an attempt to take advantage of the overcast conditions early in the game.

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