Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi added to India squad for T20I series against New Zealand; Sundar ruled out

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Friday announced the inclusion of right-hand batter Shreyas Iyer and leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi in India’s T20I squad for the upcoming five-match home series against New Zealand, beginning in Nagpur on January 21.

Bishnoi has been named as a replacement for injured all-rounder Washington Sundar, while Iyer will be available for the first three matches of the series as a cover for left-hand batter Tilak Varma, who is currently recovering from a lower-abdomen surgery.

The New Zealand series will be India’s final international assignment before the start of their Men’s T20 World Cup title defence on February 7.

Sundar ruled out with side strain

BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed that Sundar sustained an injury while bowling during the first ODI against New Zealand at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara on January 11.

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“Washington Sundar underwent scans after reporting an acute onset of discomfort in his lower rib area while bowling during the first ODI. Following an in-person consultation with an expert, he has been diagnosed with a side strain and has been advised rest for a few days. He will subsequently report to the BCCI Centre of Excellence for further management,” Saikia said in a statement.

Return for Bishnoi and Iyer

Ravi Bishnoi last represented India in a T20I against England in Mumbai in February 2025. The leg-spinner has featured in 42 T20Is, claiming 61 wickets at an economy rate of 7.35.

Shreyas Iyer last played a T20I for India against Australia in Bengaluru in December 2023. In 51 T20Is, he has scored 1,104 runs at an average of 30.66 and a strike rate of 136.12, including eight half-centuries.

Series schedule

After the opening match in Nagpur, the remaining T20Is will be played in Raipur, Guwahati, Visakhapatnam, and Thiruvananthapuram.

India’s updated T20I squad

Suryakumar Yadav (Captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Shreyas Iyer (first three T20Is), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (Vice-Captain), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ishan Kishan (WK), Ravi Bishnoi