Suryakumar Yadav Confirms Ishan Kishan Will Feature In India’s Opening T20I Against New Zealand: 'He Deserves To Play Ahead'

India vs New Zealand: Suryakumar Yadav-led India will lock horns with Mitchell Santner's New Zealand in the first T20I match of the series, at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur, on Wednesday, January 21.

The five-match T20I series will help the Men in Blue to prepare for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026, which is set to start from February 7.

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Suryakumar Yadav Confirms Ishan Kishan To Play For India In Nagpur T20I Against Kiwis

While speaking at the pre-match press conference, India captain Suryakumar Yadav confirmed that Ishan Kishan will be playing at number 3 in the first T20I match. The skipper added that Kishan was selected for the T20 World Cup team, so he deserved to play in Nagpur.

The 35-year-old further added that Tilak Varma is not available for the first three matches of the T20Is against New Zealand, for which Kishan will play at number 3.

“Ishan will play at No.3 tomorrow. We picked him first for the World Cup team, so it’s only fair that he gets the chance first. He also has not played for India in a long time. He deserves to play ahead. Unfortunately, Tilak is not in that position, so we feel Ishan is our best bet at No. 3,” Suryakumar Yadav told reporters.

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Earlier on December 20, 2025, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the 15-member Indian squad for the T20 World Cup and the five-match T20I series against the Kiwis.

Ishan Kishan Set To Return In T20Is After 2023

The 27-year-old played his last T20I match in November 2023 against Australia, and since then, the wicketkeeper-batter has not played a single 20-over game for the Men in Blue.

Kishan made his T20I debut for Team India in 2021 against England in Ahmedabad. In the T20Is, Kishan played 32 matches, scoring 796 runs at a strike rate of 124.37 and an average of 25.67. He scored six half-centuries for the Men in Blue in the T20Is