Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav has confirmed that Ishan Kishan will bat at number three in the first T20I against New Zealand in Nagpur.
The move reflects the team management’s confidence in Kishan following his return to the national team after a long absence from T20Is.
Kishan is back in the Indian T20I lineup after almost two years. The left-hander last played in a T20I in 2024 and has worked his way back through strong domestic performances.
With Shubman Gill not included in the T20I squad and Tilak Varma unavailable for the first three matches, India had an open spot in the top order. Kishan was given that responsibility immediately.
His selection is backed by a standout run in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025. Kishan led Jharkhand to their maiden title and finished as the tournament’s highest run-scorer, prompting the selectors to take notice.
India sees Kishan as an important middle-order option heading into the T20 World Cup at home. The number 3 role gives him time in the middle and exposure to different match situations.
Speaking about the decision, Suryakumar said Kishan’s place in the World Cup plans was clear. “He deserves to play for Iyer because he is already part of the World Cup squad,” the captain said.
Suryakumar will lead the side in the five-match series, with Axar Patel as vice-captain. Rinku Singh returns to the squad after missing recent matches.
India have been forced to make one change in the bowling group. Washington Sundar has been ruled out due to injury and Ravi Bishnoi has been named as his replacement.
The bowling attack is led by Jasprit Bumrah, with Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav providing variety.
The T20I series comes right after India’s 1-2 loss in the ODI series against New Zealand. These matches provide an important opportunity to refine combinations before the T20 World Cup.
The five matches will be played in Vidarbha, New Raipur, Barsapara, Visakhapatnam and Thiruvananthapuram, exposing the team to different conditions early in the cycle.
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