IND vs NZ: Why did Shreyas Iyer miss second T20I in Raipur?
(Courtesy : Getty Images)
Shreyas Iyer was added to the Indian squad for the first three IND vs NZ T20Is as a replacement of injured Tilak Varma.
India and New Zealand are up against each other in the second game of the five-match T20I series. The game between two teams is underway at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur on Friday, January 23. The series marks final major preparation for both teams before the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, starting February 7.
Team India, captained by Suryakumar Yadav, won the opening clash against New Zealand in Nagpur. They thrashed the Black Caps by 48 runs and took an early lead in the series. Batting first, after losing the toss, the hosts piled up a massive total of 238 runs, and then restricted the opposition to 190 to win the clash by big margin.
They would be hoping to carry on the same form and win the second game. With the World Cup looming, it offered a critical window to test combinations, evaluate form, restore confidence after recent setbacks, and lock in strategies, particularly in batting depth and middle-order stability.
IND vs NZ: Why did Shreyas Iyer miss second T20I in Raipur?
Shreyas Iyer, a seasoned middle-order batter who last played a T20I in December 2023, was absent from the playing XI for second IND vs NZ game despite being added to the squad. Iyer was named as a replacement of Tilak Varma in the first three T20Is after the latter suffered an abdominal injury requiring surgery during the Vijay Hazare Trophy earlier in January.
The reason behind Shreyas Iyer’s snub is team management’s decision to prefer Ishan Kishan over Suryakumar Yadav. Kishan, who is part of India’s T20 World Cup squad, made a comeback to side in first T20I after 785 days, and failed to go big in first match.
Ahead of the series, Suryakumar emphasized that Kishan, selected ahead of others for team balance (replacing Shubman Gill), deserved the opportunity after consistent domestic performances, including topping the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy run charts and leading Jharkhand to the title with explosive striking.
“Ishan will bat at number 3 because he is part of our T20 World Cup team and he was picked in the squad first so it’s our responsibility to give him a chance. He hasn’t played for India for past one and half year and in the mean time consistently performed in domestic cricket.
“Since he (Ishan) has been picked for World T20, he deserves to play ahead (of Shreyas). Had it been a question of batting slots Nos 4 or 5, it would have been a different question altogether. Unfortunately, Tilak isn’t there so Ishan is our best bet,” said Suryakumar Yadav
This preference for Kishan, a left-handed wicketkeeper-batter, over Iyer, despite Iyer’s strong ODI form and vice-captaincy experience highlighted the management’s focus on World Cup preparations. Iyer, included only as cover for Tilak’s absence, was not deemed essential at No. 3, where a left-hander like Kishan provided better matchup flexibility and continuity with the planned squad.
IND vs NZ: India playing Xi for second T20I
Sanju Samson(w), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy
Why did Shreyas Iyer miss the second T20I against New Zealand?
Shreyas Iyer was included only as a temporary replacement for Tilak Varma and was not preferred at No. 3, as India opted to play a World Cup squad member instead.
Why is Ishan Kishan batting at No. 3 for India IND vs NZ T20Is?
Ishan Kishan is part of India’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad and earned selection through strong domestic performances, making him the preferred option in Tilak Varma’s absence.
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Ankitjit Singh is a dedicated sports journalist whose childhood dream was to play cricket—now, he serves the game through his work. With over three years of experience in reporting, writing, and editing, he brings deep insight to his coverage. A journalism graduate from Delhi University, Ankitjit’s passion for cricket took root during his college days and continues to drive his career.