Updated 29 January 2026 at 19:19 IST
'The Team Management...': Ashwin Weighs In On India Star's Exclusion From 4th T20I Against New Zealand
India failed to chase the target of 216 runs in the fourth T20I against New Zealand and were bowled out for 165 runs in 18.4 overs.
India met New Zealand for their fourth T20I match on January 28, 2026, in Visakhapatnam. After conceding 215 runs to New Zealand, India failed to repeat the heroics of Indore or Guwahati, managing just 165 in 18.4 overs during the run chase and falling short by 50 runs.
Following the match, former India player Ravichandran Ashwin weighed in on the exclusion of star batter Shreyas Iyer from the playing XI in the fourth T20I match against New Zealand. Notably, Shreyas Iyer was called up as a replacement for an injured Tilak Verma ahead of the series.
Despite being a replacement for Tilak Verma, Shreyas Iyer has yet to feature in any of the T20I matches. Notably, he was not a part of India's T20 World Cup plan and only came in because of Tilak Verma's injury; thus, his exclusion from the playing XI so far does not come as a surprise to many.
Ravichandran Ashwin On Sheyas Iyer's Exclusion From Playing XI
While talking on his YouTube show 'Ash Ki Baat', Ashwin shared that he wanted to see Shreyas Iyer make a comeback after his injury, which saw him being sidelined for a long time. However, he also understood by India team management had chosen not to play him in the series so far ahead of the upcoming World Cup.
Ahwin shared, "There is a lot of fandom for many players these days due to IPL and all of that. Shreyas is a good player, and I also want to see him. But if you look at the larger picture, the team management did what they wanted to do."
India Lead The Series By 3-1
India failed to chase the target of 216 runs in the fourth T20I against New Zealand and were bowled out for 165 runs in 18.4 overs. However, the hosts have already won three matches in the five-match series, with the last fixture scheduled for January 31, 2026.
Published By : Tiasha Sarkar
Published On: 29 January 2026 at 19:19 IST