IND vs NZ: Why did Ishan Kishan miss fourth T20I in Vizag?

Ishan Kishan has been in red-hot form in the ongoing IND vs NZ T20I series.

India and New Zealand clash in the fourth T20I of the five-match series at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday, January 28. This encounter serves as another key step in both teams’ preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, set to commence on February 7.

Team India, captained by Suryakumar Yadav, enter the game with an unassailable 3-0 series lead after a dominant run so far. Their latest triumph in Guwahati saw them chase down 154 with ridiculous ease in just 10 overs, thanks to an explosive unbeaten 68 off 20 balls from Abhishek Sharma and a solid 57 from the skipper himself.

Earlier fireworks from Ishan Kishan including 76 off 32 in the second T20I and Suryakumar’s unbeaten 82 off 37 in the chase of 209 in Raipur have showcased India’s frightening batting depth and intent, making them look unstoppable in the lead-up to defending their World Cup title.

Meanwhile, the New Zealand side, led by Mitchell Santner, are battling to avoid a whitewash after three heavy defeats. They’ve been hampered by missing key players, though reinforcements like James Neesham and Lockie Ferguson have now joined the squad, with Finn Allen arriving for the final game.

The Kiwis will be desperate to salvage pride and build momentum on a Visakhapatnam pitch known for high-scoring thrillers, where batters often dominate but swing can play a role early on. Having lost another toss, the Kiwis need to score a big total upfront, to have any chance against this strong Indian unit.

Why Ishan Kishan is not part of India’s playing XI in 4th T20I in Vizag

Ishan Kishan has had a massive impact to the T20I series in the first three matches, including a sensational counter-attacking score of 76, helping India chase down their highest total in the 20-over format. With 112 runs already, the wicket-keeper from Jharkhand has made a strong claim for the keeping slot ahead of the all-important T20 World Cup.

Unfortunately for Kishan, a niggle has now ruled him out of the fourth T20I. According to the skipper, Kishan has been replaced by speedster Arshdeep Singh. Interestingly, a batter has been replaced by a bowler, which means India could be slightly thin in the batting department.

“We want to keep doing the good things we’ve been doing, learn from the last game, and go out there, enjoy ourselves, play the format the way it’s meant to be played, and entertain the people who’ve come here. It’s a beautiful ground and a lovely crowd here. Hopefully the boys are charged up and we have a good, entertaining night.

Arshdeep comes in for Ishan Kishan, who picked up a niggle in the last game. Axar Patel still needs a bit more time, so hopefully we’ll see him in the next game. The batters will need to take a bit more responsibility, but at the same time not shy away from playing with fearless intent. We’ve got five good bowling options today, so we’ll see how it goes.,” said captain Suryakumar Yadav.

Meanwhile, vice-captain Axar Patel continues to be sidelined, after being struck on his finger off his own bowling in the first T20I.

IND vs NZ: India playing XI for fourth T20I

Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson(WK), Suryakumar Yadav(C), Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Harshit Rana, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah

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