Shreyas Iyer Ignored as India Select New No. 3 for 1st T20I vs NZ

India's middle order batter Tilak Varma was a certainty in the team's T20 World Cup combination, but his injury has sidelined him for the first three games against New Zealand. The T20I series against NZ presents an opportunity for Ishan Kishan, who was added to the T20 World Cup squad because of his excellent batting form in the format recently.

Kishan is all set to play at the crucial No. 3 position for the IND vs NZ 1st T20I now. The Indian skipper, Suryakumar Yadav, confirmed in the press conference that Kishan will be batting at the number 3 position ahead of Shreyas Iyer.

The left-hander earned his recall on the back of a dominant Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy performance, where he impressed the selectors after an up-and-down IPL season by finishing with a title-winning century in the final for Jharkhand.

Ishan Kishan Batting Position Confirmed Ahead of IND vs NZ T20 Series

Tilak Varma, one of the best T20 batsmen in the world, will miss the opening three T20Is against New Zealand due to an abdominal injury, leaving India with a vacancy at the No. 3 position that demands an attacking left-handed batter. Wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan fits that requirement, offering a similar skill set with his aggressive approach and ability to put pressure on bowlers from the very first ball.

Ishan has previously batted at the number 3 position for India, scoring 114 runs across four matches, including a fifty. The ODI vice-captain, Shreyas Iyer, who was added to the squad as Tilak Varma replacement for this NZ series, will most likely be on the bench during the IND vs 1st T20I, as Kishan has been picked ahead of him and is also a part of the T20 World Cup squad.

Ishan Kishan Rewarded For His Recent Domestic Performance

Kishan’s inclusion in both the World Cup squad and the New Zealand series came as a major surprise, as he was not even near the scheme of things for the Indian team for a long time. He is set to feature in a T20I for India after a gap of over two years. His most recent appearance in the format was against Australia in November 2023.

The Ajit Agarkar–headed selection panel backed the Jharkhand cricketer, who is also among the best wicketkeepers in India, after his outstanding domestic form. He played avital role in guiding his team to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title, while also having an impressive individual campaign with the bat, scoring 517 runs from 10 matches at a strike rate of 197.33.

His comeback is even more notable given that he had earlier been dropped from India’s central contracts list following a miscommunication with the team management, which involved chief selector Ajit Agarkar and former head coach Rahul Dravid.