India has included right-handed batter Shreyas Iyer and leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi in their T20I squad for the upcoming five-match series against New Zealand. The series, commencing in Nagpur on January 21, marks India’s final international engagement before the Men’s T20 World Cup defense beginning on February 7.
Bishnoi joins the squad as a replacement for the injured off-spin bowling all-rounder Washington Sundar. Iyer, on the other hand, will feature in the first three games due to the absence of left-handed batter Tilak Varma, who is recuperating from a lower abdomen surgery.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed, “Washington Sundar has been diagnosed with a side strain after experiencing discomfort in his lower rib area during the first ODI against New Zealand. He will undergo rest before further management at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (COE).”
Bishnoi’s last T20I appearance for India was against England in Mumbai in February 2025, where he has claimed 61 wickets in 42 matches at an economy rate of 7.35. Meanwhile, Iyer’s most recent T20I outing was against Australia in Bengaluru in December 2023, amassing 1104 runs in 51 matches at an average of 30.66 and a strike rate of 136.12.
Following the opening fixture in Nagpur, the T20I series between India and New Zealand will progress to Raipur, Guwahati, Visakhapatnam, and Thiruvananthapuram.
