The BCCI announced squad changes for the India vs New Zealand T20I series on Thursday. Shreyas Iyer comes in for Tilak Varma while Ravi Bishnoi replaces Washington Sundar for the five-match series starting January 21.
Shreyas will be available only for the first three T20Is. Tilak Varma underwent testicular surgery in Rajkot and was ruled out of those games. He might return for the fourth and fifth matches if recovery goes well.
Washington Sundar picked up a side strain while bowling in the first ODI against New Zealand on January 11 at Vadodara. He went for scans and met with a specialist. Doctors advised him to rest and report to the BCCI Centre of Excellence. Ravi Bishnoi got the call to replace him.
Shreyas Returns After Long Gap
Shreyas last played a T20I in December 2023 against Australia. The selectors dropped him from the T20 plans after that series. He has not played any T20 matches since the IPL 2025 final, making this a comeback after eight to nine months.
The 31-year-old battled a spleen injury earlier and missed the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He returned through the Vijay Hazare Trophy for Mumbai. Shreyas got picked for the ongoing ODI series against New Zealand and now gets another chance in T20s.
His availability for just the first three games means this is a trial run. If he performs well, he could push for a World Cup spot. The selectors want to see if he fits into the middle order before the tournament starts on February 7.
Bishnoi Back After Year Away
Ravi Bishnoi played his last T20I almost a year ago against England in Mumbai. He stayed active in domestic cricket and took nine wickets in seven matches during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. His economy rate was 8.72 in that tournament.
The leg-spinner then played in the Vijay Hazare Trophy to stay match-ready. His domestic form convinced the selectors to bring him back for this series. Bishnoi adds another spin option alongside Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy.
India need to settle their bowling combination before the World Cup. This series gives Bishnoi a chance to stake his claim. The team management will test different combinations across the five matches.
Series Schedule and Squad
The series begins on January 21 in Nagpur. The second T20I is on January 23 in Raipur followed by the third game in Guwahati on January 25. The fourth match takes place in Visakhapatnam on January 28 and the final T20I is in Thiruvananthapuram on January 31.
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This marks India’s last T20I series before the World Cup. The tournament kicks off on February 7 with India facing the USA. Only 17 days separate the series finale from the World Cup opener, making every match crucial for team selection.
Suryakumar Yadav leads the side with Axar Patel as his deputy. The updated squad includes Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and Harshit Rana along with Shreyas, Bishnoi, Kuldeep, and Varun.
The middle order remains a concern for the selectors. Both Tilak and Shreyas play similar roles, showing the team is still figuring out who bats where. The next few weeks will decide India’s final World Cup combination.
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