After a series of defeats in Guwahati, New Zealand They have announced an overhaul in their squad for the last two T20Is in Visakhapatnam and Thiruvananthapuram. with The series is currently 3-0 in favor of IndiaThe Black Caps have opted to release two young prospects to combine veteran firepower ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026. The changes reflect a shift towards practice. Mitchell Santner’s side will be looking to restore pride and find a winning combination before the global tournament kicks off in less than two weeks.
New faces and experience replacing New Zealand squad for last 2 T20Is against India
The decision to release the pacer Christian Clarke and opener Tim Robinson a strategic move to secure game time for New Zealand’s key World Cup stars from the squad. Clarke and Robinson showed glimpses of potential in the opening games, but management preferred to bring them back. Loki Ferguson, Jimmy Neesham and Tim Seifertall of them have now officially joined the camp in India.
Ferguson’s return is particularly important; his high-octane pace and familiarity with Indian conditions are seen as an antidote to India’s aggressive top-order batting. Similarly, the addition of Neesham provides much-needed finishing depth and an extra seam option that was lacking in the mid-to-upper bowlers of Raipur and Guwahati.
Explosive switch to make the shot even stronger Find Allen He is scheduled to join the squad on Thursday, in time for the fifth T20I in Thiruvananthapuram. These ‘World Cup-related’ inclusions mean that New Zealand are no longer practicing and are now focused on building momentum for their World Cup opener. AfghanistanFebruary 8.
Christian Clarke and Tim Robinson have been released from the BLACKCAPS T20 squad in India with Jimmy Neesham, Lockie Ferguson and Tim Seifert currently in camp.
Finn Allen will be the latest squad member to join the side in Trivandrum on Thursday.#INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/PARjD3EsHf
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 26, 2026
Also READ: New Zealand players inspect Abhishek Sharma’s bat after the Guwahati innings – IND vs NZ, 3rd T20I
New Zealand’s road ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup
With these significant changes, the New Zealand team for the remaining two T20Is has a much more formidable look, featuring a mix of white-ball specialists. This group faces a tough task in Visakhapatnam on January 28, where they have to face a spread Indian side led by them. Suryakumar Yadavhe already secured an elusive 3-0 lead.
Kiwis will be especially impressed by its presence Kyle JamiesonHe was recently named as a World Cup permanent replacement for the injured Adam Milne. After suffering a heavy eight-wicket loss in Guwahati where India were chased down for 154 in just 10 overs, the Black Caps’ main objective in the last two games is to find a way to catch up. Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishi. Success in these remaining matches is crucial, not only for series points, but to avoid a 5-0 shutout that could shake their confidence heading into the biggest tournament of the year.
The New Zealand squad for the remaining T20I series against New Zealand has been updated
After Mitchell Santner (C), Devon Conway, Tim Seifert (wk), Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Michael Bracewell, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy, and Zakary Foungen.
Also READ: Tilak Verma IS OUT! Shreyas Iyer IN! India’s new squad for the last two T20Is against New Zealand
