Ishan Kishan’s batting position was confirmed by India’s skipper Suryakumar Yadav prior to the first Twenty20 International against New Zealand in Nagpur. After Kishan returned to the national setup after a two-year break, Suryakumar Yadav confirmed the management’s belief in the southpaw by announcing that he will bat at number three during the pre-match news conference.
An important stage in India’s preparation for the T20 World Cup is marked by the five-match T20I series against New Zealand, which begins on Wednesday. The hosts will be eager to improve their lineups before the big event after losing to the Black Caps 1-2 in the ODI series. Notably, Kishan has been pushed to bat at the top as Shubman Gill was left out of the T20 team and Tilak Varma missed the first three games because of injury.
The captain of India stated, “He is already a member of the World Cup squad, so he deserves to play before Iyer.”
Kishan guided Jharkhand to its first-ever Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy victory.
After requesting a hiatus from international cricket and losing his central contract, the wicketkeeper-batter last played for India in 2023. Kishan, who was once considered a regular in all white-ball formats, was left off the national team for almost two years as selectors gave priority on domestic consistency.
However, his performances for Jharkhand have been the main factor in his comeback. As the tournament’s top run scorer, Kishan had an incredible Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025, helping Jharkhand win their first championship. As the T20 World Cup approaches, Kishan is now seen by the Indian team’s management as a key middle-order option.
Axar Patel will be India’s vice captain, while Suryakumar Yadav will lead the team.
Rinku Singh also returns to the team, and Ravi Bishnoi replaces Washington Sundar, who was out due to injury. Alongside Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, and Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah will lead the bowling attack.
As India perfects its combinations, the series will be played at a variety of locations, including Vidarbha, New Raipur, Barsapara, Visakhapatnam, and Thiruvananthapuram.
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