India captain Suryakumar Yadav will look to rediscover his attacking touch with the bat and strengthen his leadership credentials when the five-match T20I series against New Zealand begins here on Wednesday, serving as India’s final dress rehearsal ahead of their T20 World Cup title defence starting in less than three weeks.
Since taking over as India’s T20I skipper in 2024, Suryakumar has enjoyed remarkable success as a leader, guiding the team to a winning percentage of over 72 per cent. However, his personal form with the bat has emerged as a concern, particularly in the lead-up to the global event.
India’s T20 setup has largely operated on autopilot over the past two years, with consistent performances from a settled core of IPL-hardened players. But expectations of becoming the first team to successfully defend a T20 World Cup title, combined with home pressure, will test Suryakumar’s leadership during the New Zealand series.
New Zealand arrive with confidence, having achieved several milestones in India over the past year, including a Test series whitewash and their first-ever bilateral ODI series win. However, India under Suryakumar have been dominant in T20Is, winning 18 of their last 25 matches, powered by Abhishek Sharma’s explosive starts and Varun Chakravarthy’s match-turning spells in the middle overs.
The visitors have won 13 of their 21 T20Is since the 2024 T20 World Cup and boast a strong squad featuring Devon Conway, captain Mitchell Santner, premier seamer Jacob Duffy, and the experienced duo of Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips.
Despite the team’s success, Suryakumar’s batting slump remains India’s biggest concern. The Mumbai batter endured his poorest year in India colours in 2025, scoring just 218 runs in 19 matches without a single half-century, while striking at a modest rate of 123. His decision to move down to No.4 to accommodate Tilak Varma at No.3 further highlighted the struggle.
With Tilak sidelined following abdominal surgery, Ishan Kishan, who is in red-hot form, will bat at No.3 — a role the skipper confirmed at the pre-match press conference — keeping Suryakumar at No.4. The move likely means Shreyas Iyer will miss out, despite his strong credentials against spin and leadership success in the IPL.
The series will also see the return of Hardik Pandya and pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, both rested during the ODI leg. Pandya’s presence adds crucial balance, allowing India to play an additional specialist if required.
Much will also depend on Varun Chakravarthy, the team’s biggest X-factor. His four overs between the seventh and 15th overs often dictate the course of the match, and his battles with Mitchell and Phillips could shape the series outcome.
For New Zealand, all-rounder Kristian Clarke, who impressed in the ODI series with seven wickets including two of Virat Kohli, will continue in the squad due to injury concerns for Michael Bracewell and Adam Milne.
With the World Cup looming, both teams will look to fine-tune combinations, but the spotlight will firmly be on India’s captain — whose bat may hold the key to both personal redemption and India’s title defence hopes.
Match starts: 7 pm
Teams:
India: Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Rinku Singh, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana.
New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (capt), Devon Conway, Bevon Jacobs, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Tim Robinson, Jimmy Neesham, Ish Sodhi, Zak Foulkes, Mark Chapman, Michael Bracewell, Rachin Ravindra, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy, Kristian Clarke.
