IND vs NZ: 3 reasons why Ishan Kishan should play in T20I series
Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson are the two wicket-keepers in India’s squad for the IND vs NZ T20I series.
India’s wicket-keeper batsman Ishan Kishan has made a comeback to the T20Is after more than two years. He is one of the two wicket-keepers in India’s squad for the T20I series against New Zealand, alongside Sanju Samson. Moreover, he has been added to India’s squad for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.
The wicket-keeper batsman last featured in T20Is against Australia in November 2023. With his impeccable performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025, he made a comeback to the shortest format. Smacking two centuries and an equal number of fifties, he led Jharkhand to the title in the tournament.
Kishan has an experience of 32 T20Is so far, amassing 796 runs at an average of 25.68 and a strike rate of over 124. He has also hammered six half-centuries. Following his comeback, he will aim to replicate his brilliant performance in the upcoming IND vs NZ T20Is.
On that note, below are the three reasons why Ishan Kishan should be picked in the playing XI in the T20I series against the Black Caps.
3. Perfect replacement for Tilak Varma
Tilak Varma has been ruled out of the first three games against New Zealand due to an abdominal injury. In his absence, India will need a powerful left-handed batter at number three in the playing XI.
Being a left-handed explosive batter, Kishan is a like-for-like replacement for Varma. Moreover, he has been quite successful at the number three spot in T20Is, hitting 114 runs in four games with a half-century.
2. Can play dual role of wicket-keeper & opener
With Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill was one of the openers for the Indian Cricket Team in T20Is last year. Since Gill has been overlooked for the IND vs NZ T20I series, the Men in Blue need a strong opener to fill his absence.
Kishan has considerable experience as an opener and has played in the same role in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for many years. Out of his six fifties in T20Is, four arrived while batting as an opener. If he is picked in the playing XI, he can play the dual roles of opener as well as wicket-keeper.
1. Prepare Kishan for ICC T20 World Cup 2026
Since the 27-year-old batter was out of the national side for a long time, he needs to prepare himself ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026. The five-match T20I series against New Zealand will be a good platform for Ishan to regain his rhythm on the international stage.
Moreover, it will also allow management to experiment and decide Kishan’s batting position in the upcoming ICC tournament. If Sanju Samson fails to perform well, then trying Ishan Kishan at the top of the order would be a good decision.
When did Ishan Kishan last play T20Is for India?
Ishan Kishan last played T20Is for India in November 2023 against Australia.
Is Ishan Kishan part of India’s squad for the T20I series against New Zealand?
Yes, Ishan Kishan is part of India’s squad for the T20I series against New Zealand.
How many matches will take place during the T20I series between India and New Zealand?
Five T20Is will be played between India and New Zealand.
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Vikas Singh Derek is a core cricket-lover since childhood and has always followed the sport both in his personal and professional life. He started his school life by watching cricket at home with family. Later, he played cricket on the field at local clubs during college. After his Master's in Journalism from Mumbai, he followed his passion by covering cricket news across various digital media. Since 2015, he has been an aspiring sports journalist and cricket content writer with over 50K+ articles.