India will take on New Zealand in the first of the five T20Is against New Zealand in Nagpur. The series is being seen as the last attempt to sort out the combination for the upcoming T20 World Cup, scheduled to begin in February.
IND vs NZ: The Revelation
One of the biggest questions that was making rounds ahead of the first game was who would replace Tilak Varma in the playing XI, as the left-hander has been ruled out of the first three matches.
Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav addressed it by confirming that wicketkeeper batter Ishan Kishan, who is making a comeback in international cricket after two years, is set to replace Tilak and will bat at number three.
Ishan pips Shreyas Iyer, who is also making a comeback in India’s T20I setup, having last featured for the team in this format in December 2023.
IND vs NZ: The Decision
On being asked whether Shreyas Iyer will find a place in the playing XI for the upcoming game, Surya said, “No, sir. Ishan will play at No.3. We picked him first, and he is in the World Cup team as well. So he deserves to play, and he hasn’t played for us for a very long time. When we have picked him, I think he deserves to play.”
Surya made it clear that the decision was taken keeping in mind Tilak’s batting position if he were in the team. “If the positions of No.4 or 5 were being talked about, then it would have been different. Unfortunately, Tilak is not there, so Ishan is our best bet,” he added.
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IND vs NZ: The Comeback
Ishan Kishan, who was out of international reckoning for almost two years, stormed his way back into the team courtesy of a stellar performance in the last edition of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where the left-hander compiled 517 runs in ten innings at a strike rate of more than 190.
The telly of 517 runs included a century against Haryana in the final of the tournament, which took Jharkhand over the line with Kishan leading from the front.
IND vs NZ: The form
Ishan carried the same form into the ongoing Ranji Trophy season with 246 runs at an average of 82 in three innings, including a score of 150 plus 173 to be precise.
As far as the left hander’s numbers in the Vijay Hazare Trophy are concerned, he has succeeded in scoring a century in one of the two innings that he has played in this particular competition.
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IND vs NZ: The Challenge
Having accumulated a mountain of runs in 2025, Ishan would look to make the most of the opportunity that he will be getting in the series opener against New Zealand and strengthen his case for a place in the playing XI for the T20 World Cup.