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New Delhi - New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson won the toss and chose to bowl first in the opening Twenty20 international against India in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Top-ranked New Zealand, who have never lost a T20 game against India in five completed outings, have picked two seamers and two spinners for the first of the three matches.
"It was a really good ODI series. Playing India in this part of the world is a stiff challenge. The boys are looking forward to it," Williamson, whose side lost the preceding one-day series 2-1, said at the toss.
India are set to bid farewell to veteran paceman Ashish Nehra, who finds a place in the starting lineup at his home ground Feroz Shah Kotla.
Batsman Shreyas Iyer has been handed his international debut in a team that fields three fast bowlers and two spinners.
Skipper Virat Kohli hailed 38-year-old Nehra's invaluable service to Indian cricket. The left-arm quick was part of India's 2011 World Cup-winning team.
"Nineteen years as a fast bowler is a great achievement. One of the smartest guys I've played with," said Kohli.
India: Virat Kohli(captain), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ashish Nehra, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal
New Zealand: Kane Williamson (captain), Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Tom Bruce, Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls, Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Ish Sodhi
Umpires: Nitin Menon (IND) and Chettithody Shamshuddin (IND)
TV Umpire: Anil Chaudhary (IND)
Match referee: Chris Broad (ENG)
