IND vs NZ: Why did Shreyas Iyer miss fifth T20I in Thiruvananthapuram?
Shreyas Iyer was added to the Indian squad for the last two IND vs NZ T20Is as a replacement of injured Tilak Varma.
India and New Zealand are up against each other in the last game of the five-match T20I series, which is underway at the Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday, January 31. The series is already in India’s bag as they won first three games before losing the fourth one in Vizag.
In the first game, India registered a 48-run to start the series on a high. 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.
Then in the second T20I, they had below-par bowling performance, giving away 208 runs. But, their batting was nothing short of exceptional. Ishan Kishan (76) and Suryakumar Yadav (82*) struck brutal half-centuries, registering fastest 200+ chase in T20Is.
In the third game, New Zealand struggled to score big and managed just 153 runs. But, it was expected that they would test the Indian batters, which wasn’t the case. Abhishek Sharma (68*) and Suryakumar Yadav struck brutal fifties that saw the hosts chasing the target in just 10 overs.
India tried different combination in fourth T20I, opting just six batters. However, that didn’t work as they lost the game by 50 runs. They were asked to chase 216 runs, but got all out for 165 with only Shivam Dube managing a half-century.
With fifth IND vs NZ T20I game being last for both teams before T20 World Cup 2026, it offers 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 fifth T20I in Thiruvananthapuram?
Shreyas Iyer, who last played for India in T20Is in December 2023, was added to the India side as replacement of Tilak Varma in the first three T20Is. But, with Varma unable to recover in time, Iyer was retained in the squad for last two T20Is as well. However, his name was yet again missing from the XI.
It was expected that Iyer would play at least one game in the series, but that wasn’t the case as he didn’t feature in a single game. In fourth T20I after Ishan Kishan was ruled out to injury, it was expected that Iyer would get a chance, but the management decided against it.
Iyer not playing any game in series came after team management confirmed that Kishan, who is part of India’s T20 World Cup squad, will be preferred. The keeper-batter played a stellar innings in second IND vs NZ T20I, hitting 76 and then followed it up with quick-fire 28 in third game.
IND vs NZ: India XI for fifth T20I?
Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson(w), Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah
Why did Shreyas Iyer miss the fifth 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.