India suffered a double setback ahead of the five-match home T20I series against New Zealandwith Washington Sundar is excluded from all competition and Tilak Varma He decided to miss the first three matches. Sundar was sidelined after scans revealed a side strain, prompting the team management to be cautious with the all-rounder. He has been advised to rest for a few days before reporting to BCCI’s Center of Excellence in Bangalore for further evaluation and injury management.
While Tilak’s absence is temporary, with the left-hander expected to return later in the series, Sundar’s absence from all five matches comes at an important time. The series has been an important part of building India to date T20 World CupIt is scheduled to launch in India and Sri Lanka in less than a month.
The star spinner replaces Washington Sundar in India’s squad
To overcome Sundar’s absence, the electors enlisted in the army Ravi Bishnoistrengthens India’s spin resources for serials. Bishnoi last faced a T20I in January 2025 England at home and brings a lot of experience despite his young age. The leg-spinner has represented India in 42 T20Is so far and has claimed 61 wickets with his speed and sharp turn in the air making him a reliable middle-order option.
With conditions expected to help the spinners at home, Bishnoi’s inclusion provides the team with an attacking alternative alongside certain names. Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakraborty.
Also READ: 3 players who can replace Tilak Varman if India misses T20 World Cup 2026
Shreyas Iyer returns to the T20I setup
Voters also turned away Shreyas IyerReturning to the T20I squad for the first time since December 2023. Shreyas was included as a substitute for Tilak in the first three matches scheduled on 21, 23 and 25 January. His last T20I game came against Australia in Bangalore and his recall reflects his strong form in recent months.
Shreyas enjoyed a prolific IPL 2025 campaign, scoring 604 runs at 175.07 while also leading the way. Kings of the Punjab to the final. His ability to anchor the innings and accelerate when required adds depth and agility to India’s middle order, especially in the absence of Tilak in the early part of the series.
India’s revamped T20I squad vs New Zealand
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 Yadavth, Varww Ishanvi (Rashshin Bishan).
