India kicked off their dress rehearsal for T20 World Cup 2026 with the first T20I against New Zealand at the VCA stadium in Nagpur on January 21. The team is currently navigating some forced changes to the roster, most notably the absence of Tilak Varma, who is sidelined for the first three matches following surgery to treat testicular torsion. While Shreyas Iyer was drafted into the squad as injury cover, he was not included in the starting XI for today’s series opener.
Why Team India opted against Shreyas Iyer in 1st T20I vs New Zealand?
In Varma's absence, Ishan Kishan has been handed the opportunity to bat at the pivotal number three position. During the pre-match press conference, captain Suryakumar Yadav provided clarity on the selection, explaining that Kishan was preferred over Iyer due to his status as a member of the upcoming World Cup squad. The captain emphasized that with the global tournament looming, it is essential to give Kishan the game time he deserves to find his rhythm at the international level.
ALSO READ: 'Pata nahi kab khelne ko milega': Star player unsure of spot in India's playing XI in T20 World Cup
"Ishan will bat at number 3 because he is a part of our T20 World Cup team and he was picked in the squad first so it's our responsibility to give him a chance. He hasn't played for India for past one and half year and in the mean time consistently performed in domestic cricket," Suryakumar had said at the pre-match press conference.
"Since he (Ishan) has been picked for World T20, he deserves to play ahead (of Shreyas). Had it been a question of batting slots Nos 4 or 5, it would have been a different question altogether. Unfortunately, Tilak isn't there so Ishan is our best bet," he further added.
ALSO READ: ICC gives final ultimatum to Bangladesh amidst T20 World Cup participation row, warns BCB of...
New Zealand's Playing XI:
Tim Robinson, Devon Conway(w), Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner(c), Kristian Clarke, Kyle Jamieson, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy
India's Playing XI:
Sanju Samson(w), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah