India is all set to join the rescheduled New Zealand tour series with the comeback of Shreyas Iyer. Notably, Iyer has been absent from the T20I since December 2023, but will join the squad for the IND vs. NZ series, starting January 21.
Shreyas Iyer Joins India’s T20I Squad After Tilak’s Injury
The 31-year-old, right-handed opener Shreyas Iyer is all set to join the T20I for the first three IND VS NZ matches. Notably, the powerful and very aggressive player is what India needed at this point since Tilak Varma is out of the series due to an abdominal injury.
Moreover, Iyer has already proved that he is a valuable player in the short-form game with his middle-order experience, batting, and match awareness.
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Iyer has played 51 T20Is, batting in 47 innings. He has scored 1,104 runs at an average of 30.67 and has a strike rate of 136.13. He has made eight half-centuries with 90 as his highest score.
While Varma is recovering from the injury, Iyer will replace him for the first three matches. The recovery status of Varma will decide who will join the T20I squad for the rest of the matches.
Ravi Bishnoi Replaces Washington Sundar for IND vs NZ T20I
Not only Shreyas Iyer, but the selectors have also brought the leg spinner Ravi Bishnoi to the T20I squad. Notably, Bishnoi is brought up as the replacement of all-rounder Washington Sunder, who faced acute discomfort while bowling during the January 11 ODI match.
Sundar’s medical scans and expert consultation have confirmed that he needs rest and further rehabilitation at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence. With Bishnoi’s inclusion, India has gained another strong bowler and the wrist spin option.
Bishnoi has already played 41 T20Is, bringing 61 wickets with the best figure of 4/13. In addition, he has marinated a strike rate of 15.8 and an economy of 7.25
The inclusion of Shreyas Iyer and Ravi Bishnoi seems a favorable decision for India. Now, the IND vs NZ T20I, starting January 21, are an important event for these players to prove their worth since the T20 World Cup 2026 is coming up in February.
Notably, Sundar and Varma are both part of the T20 World Cup 2026 squad. BCCI is also keeping Iyer as an option if Tilak does not make a full recovery.
India’s updated T20I squad
After the replacement of Washington Sundar and Tilak Varma, this is the updated T20I squad: –
- Suryakumar Yadav (C)
- Abhishek Sharma
- Sanju Samson (WK)
- Shreyas Iyer (first three T20Is)
- Hardik Pandya
- Shivam Dube
- Axar Patel (VC)
- Rinku Singh
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Harshit Rana
- Arshdeep Singh
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Varun Chakaravarthy
- Ishan Kishan (WK)
- Ravi Bishnoi