India Batting Coach Provides Crucial Fitness Update On Ishan Kishan Ahead Of IND vs NZ 5th T20I: 'Physio Will Take The Call'

India vs New Zealand: India wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan missed out on the fourth T20I match of the series against New Zealand on Wednesday, January 28, at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam.

In the fourth T20I match at the time of the toss, India skipper Suryakumar Yadav confirmed that Kishan sustained a niggle, which forced him out of the previous game in Vizag. Arshdeep Singh replaced Kishan in India's Playing XI for the fourth T20I match of the series.

"Arshdeep comes in for Ishan Kishan, who picked up a niggle in the last game," Suryakumar Yadav said at the toss in Vizag.

Kishan's absence from the Playing XI was clearly visible after the Men in Blue struggled to chase down the given target on Wednesday, January 28.

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Sitanshu Kotak Provides Update On Ishan Kishan's Fitness

While speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of the fifth and final match of the ongoing T20I series, India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak opened up on Kishan's fitness, saying that the wicketkeeper-batter will likely play in the upcoming match. However, Kotak also added that the physios will make the final call.

“Kishan will likely play. Physio will take the call," Sitanshu Kotak told reporters at the pre-match press conference.

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Ishan Kishan's Numbers In T20Is

The 27-year-old has displayed a scintillating performance in the ongoing five-match T20I series against the Kiwis. He made a return for the Men in Blue after almost three years.

Kishan played three matches against New Zealand in the ongoing series, amassing 112 runs at a strike rate of 224.00 and an average of 37.33.

The wicketkeeper-batter began his T20I career for India in 2021 against England in Ahmedabad. In T20Is, Kishan played 35 matches, scoring 908 runs at a strike rate of 131.59 and an average of 26.70.

In the upcoming fifth T20I match of the series, India will play against New Zealand at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday, January 31.