India's ongoing T20I series against New Zealand has encountered a massive roadblock following back-to-back injury updates from the Indian camp. Sports Tak has learnt that India's wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan, who had already been ruled out of the second T20I due to a low-grade right adductor strain, will now miss the third T20I as well. The news comes as a major physical and tactical concern for the team management, as the southpaw's explosive presence at the top and middle order provided vital balance and firepower to India’s batting structure.
Ishan Kishan ruled out of 3rd T20I against New Zealand too
Ishan Kishan's injury has come as a big blow to India at a crucial juncture of the series.
Known for his fearlessness against both pace and spin, Kishan has been a cornerstone of India’s aggressive powerplay and middle-overs strategy. His capacity to turn matches within a handful of overs makes his absence immediately felt.
As a versatile left-handed batter who can effortlessly open or slot into the top-four, Kishan offered tactical flexibility to counter line-and-length match-ups. His dual role as a high-caliber wicketkeeper-batter added additional value to the starting XI.
Losing an established, high-impact international player midway through a competitive home series forces India to rejig their batting blueprint and fast-track young talent under intense international pressure.
Ishan's absence brings Sooryavanshi’s in India's playing XI in 2nd T20I
Every setback brings an unexpected opportunity. Ishan Kishan’s sudden injury paved the way for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s entry into India’s playing XI in the second T20I against New Zealand.
At just 15 years old, Sooryavanshi’s inclusion created enormous headlines across the cricketing world. Standing in for the injured Kishan, the prodigy was drafted into the side to plug the gap in the top order.
Tactical Twist in the Lineup: While Kishan typically operates as an aggressive opener or top-order attacker, captain Shreyas Iyer revealed a minor tactical shift at the toss during the second T20I. India retained the settled opening pair of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson, deploying Sooryavanshi at the crucial No. 3 position.
However, Sooryavanshi couldn't make the most of the opportunity and was dismissed for just 4 runs off 8 balls.
Ishan Kishan’s last 10 T20 performance
Prior to sustaining his low-grade right adductor strain, Ishan Kishan was in dynamic form. Below is an exact match-by-match breakdown of his last 10 T20 appearances across international fixtures and marquee competitive games:
| Match # | Opposition | Format | Runs Scored (Balls Faced) | Fours / Sixes | Strike Rate |
| 1 | vs New Zealand | T20I | 1 (3) | 0 / 0 | 33.33 |
| 2 | vs West Indies | T20I | 30 (10) | 2 / 3 | 300.00 |
| 3 | vs West Indies | T20I | 6 (3) | 1 / 0 | 200.00 |
| 4 | vs West Indies | T20I | 37 (18) | 3 / 3 | 205.55 |
| 5 | vs West Indies | T20I | 43 (22) | 4 / 3 | 195.45 |
| 6 | vs West Indies | T20I | 37* (27) | 3 / 2 | 137.03 |
| 7 | vs Pakistan | T20I | 20 (18) | 2 / 1 | 111.11 |
| 8 | vs Sri Lanka | T20I | 80* (46) | 7 / 5 | 173.91 |
| 9 | vs Japan | T20I | 3 (6) | 0 / 0 | 50.00 |
| 10 | vs Afghanistan | T20I | 10 (8) | 1 / 1 | 125.00 |
Total Runs: 267 runs
Innings: 10
Not Outs: 2
Batting Average: 33.37
Overall Strike Rate: close to 170
Highest Score: 80* off 46 balls vs Sri Lanka
50s / 30+ Scores: 1 Fifty, 4 Thirty-plus scores
Meanwhile BCCI's medical team is closely monitoring closely monitor Ishan Kishan’s injury to ensure a complete recovery before his return to action.
New Zealand post 180/5 in 2nd T20I vs New Zealand
New Zealand put up a competitive total of 180/5 in their allotted 20 overs after being asked to bat first by India at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
The Blackcaps' innings saw a turbulent start as the Indian bowling attack struck early inside the powerplay. New Zealand stumbled to 41/3, losing their top-order anchors under testing conditions. However, the innings underwent a dramatic shift thanks to a phenomenal 116-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Glenn Phillips and Bevon Jacobs.
Glenn Phillips anchored the recovery with a blistering knock, smashing 70 runs to drive the scoring rate. He brought up his half-century in style off just 33 deliveries, peppering the field with clean hits.
Bevon Jacobs played an equally stellar supporting hand, compiling a mature 58 runs from 40 balls.
Together, the duo resurrected the innings, steering New Zealand past a precarious position and laying the groundwork for a challenging target.
Meanwhile, India's bowling unit displayed a mixed performance, combining fierce early breakthroughs with a lack of discipline in the middle overs that allowed New Zealand to fight back. Captain Shreyas Iyer utilised multiple options, but maintaining control against Phillips and Jacobs proved difficult.
Arshdeep Singh: Was comfortably the pick of the Indian bowlers. He finished with stellar figures of 2/33 in his 4 overs, consistently hitting testing lengths and breaking the dangerous partnership late in the innings by dismissing Phillips.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar: Bhuvneshwar endured another tough outing. He leaked 49 runs in his 4 overs. However, he managed to take the wicket of Daryl Mitchell.
Prince Yadav: Showcased his potential on a big stage, picking up 1 wicket with a sharp piece of execution that rattled the timber, though he was targeted during the middle-over onslaught.
Nitish Kumar Reddy: Contributed effectively with the ball, chipping in with 1 crucial wicket despite being punished when missing his lengths in the death-overs phase.
Ultimately, India's improved bowled saw New Zealand getting restricted to 180, keeping the door open for the run chase.