Tilak Varma's unbeaten 51 leaves India one win from the series in Wellington

India arrive at Sky Stadium on Tuesday needing one more win to take the five-match T20I series, after Tilak Varma's unbeaten 51 pulled a chase out of 112 for 6 in Christchurch

The third T20I of India's tour of New Zealand is at Sky Stadium, Wellington on Tuesday, and it is the first match of the series away from Hagley Oval. India lead 2-0, so a third win would put the series beyond New Zealand with two matches still to play.

Both of India's wins have come chasing, and both have come by four wickets. The first was settled with two balls to spare, the second with one.

New Zealand travel to Wellington with a reshaped pace attack and a captain who has been their most effective bowler.

Two chases, two tight finishes

New Zealand made 225 for 4 in the opener on 22 October, built on Glenn Phillips, who finished 82 not out from 40 balls, and Finn Allen's 45 from 24. India replied with 230 for 6, Sanju Samson scoring 67 from 33 and Naman Dhir finishing unbeaten on 42.

Two days later New Zealand were held to 180 for 5. Phillips made 70 from 43 and Bevon Jacobs 58 from 46, the pair adding 116 for the third wicket.

That total looked ample once Mitchell Santner had taken 4-21, removing Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel in the same over and leaving India 70 for 5 inside 11 overs. Arshdeep Singh's 2-33 had been India's best return in the first innings.

A different role for Tilak Varma

India were 112 for 6 in the 15th over when Dhir, who had made 31 from 17, was caught. Tilak Varma then took the chase to the final over, finishing 51 not out from 26 balls with six fours and a six.

Nitish Kumar Reddy, 26 not out, hit the winning runs off the penultimate delivery as India reached 181 for 6 in 19.5 overs. Tilak was named player of the match.

Santner, who plays alongside both batters at Mumbai Indians, said afterwards that Tilak's job has changed since the two first met in franchise cricket. "When he first started, he was batting three. And it's a slightly different role," the New Zealand captain said.

New Zealand rotate their fast bowlers

New Zealand Cricket confirmed on 25 October that the squad travelling to Wellington has been reshuffled for what it described as planned workload management across a busy summer.

Blair Tickner joins for the last three T20Is and Matt Fisher travels to Wellington as cover for this match only, before returning to the New Zealand A squad at Lincoln. Lockie Ferguson has left for Auckland and rejoins for the matches at Eden Park and Seddon Park, while Matt Henry stays in Christchurch and links up with the ODI squad on 2 November.

Kyle Jamieson is available in Wellington before a Ford Trophy match for Canterbury. Head coach Rob Walter said it had been "a competitive start to the T20 series with two close games and plenty more cricket to come".

India without Kishan again

India are without Ishan Kishan, who picked up a low-grade right adductor strain in the first T20I. The BCCI said on Monday that he is yet to regain match fitness and is ruled out of the Wellington match.

Kumar Kushagra, the uncapped wicketkeeper-batter who is in New Zealand with India A, joined the squad as cover before the second T20I and stays for this one.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi batted at No. 3 in Christchurch in Kishan's absence, with Samson keeping wicket and opening alongside Abhishek Sharma.

What follows Wellington

The series moves to Eden Park on 30 October and finishes at Seddon Park, Hamilton, on 1 November. Five ODIs and two Tests follow, beginning in Auckland on 4 November.

For New Zealand, Tuesday is the last point at which the T20I series can still be drawn.

Third T20I: New Zealand v India, Sky Stadium, Wellington, Tuesday 27 October.

Catch the match live updates, highlights, and full match coverage on CricRadio. Get fast, accurate, and ad-free updates throughout the game. Download the CricRadio app from the Play Store to stay connected. You can also get the live scores of cricket series directly on the CricRadio website for real-time coverage.