Overview:
When asked about the chance of batting at No. 3, a position where he has excelled in the past, the captain expressed his willingness to remain adaptable.
India and New Zealand will face off in the first T20I of their five-match series on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur. Speaking before the match, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav confirmed that Ishan Kishan would replace Tilak Varma in the batting order. With Tilak sidelined due to injury for three matches, Kishan will bat at the No. 3 position.
“Ishan will bat at number 3 because he’s part of our T20 World Cup squad, and he was selected in the team first. It’s our responsibility to give him the opportunity,” he said during the pre-match press conference.
“He hasn’t represented India for the past year and a half. However, he has consistently delivered strong performances in domestic cricket,” he added.
The Indian captain clarified that Ishan, being part of the T20 World Cup squad, deserves to play ahead of Shreyas Iyer. He explained that if the decision were based on batting positions like Nos. 4 or 5, the situation would have been different. However, with Tilak Varma unavailable, Ishan becomes the suitable choice.
“Since Ishan has been selected for the World T20, he rightfully deserves to play ahead of Shreyas. If it were a matter of batting at Nos. 4 or 5, it would be a different discussion. Unfortunately, with Tilak unavailable, Ishan is our best option,” he mentioned.
When asked about the chance of batting at No. 3, a position where he has excelled in the past, the captain expressed his willingness to remain adaptable.
“I’ve batted in both positions for India. My numbers at No. 4 are slightly better, though my performance at No. 3 is also solid. However, we’re flexible with that. We’ll evaluate the situation, and if a right-hander is needed, for instance, if Sanju Samson gets out, I’ll take the spot. Otherwise, Tilak, who has been doing well at No. 3, will continue there,” he concluded.