Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Axed, India Make Two Big Changes For 4th T20I Against New Zealand

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi axed from India's playing XI© BCCI/Creimas

India captain Shreyas Iyer announced two bold changes to the Indian team for the 4th T20I against New Zealand on Friday, dropping Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Bhuvneshwar Kumar from the playing XI. Ishan Kishan and Mayank Yadav were selected to replace them. Iyer won his fourth consecutive toss of the T20I series, maintaining a 100 per cent toss-winning record. Before the match, there was considerable chatter about Ishan Kishan's potential return, especially after he was spotted practicing in the nets on the eve of the game in Auckland. However, given how well Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi had batted in the third T20I, many questioned whether modifying the top order was the right decision.

After winning the toss, Shreyas explained that Kishan was brought back in place of Sooryavanshi as India reverted to their first-choice opening pair. The only other alteration was replacing Bhuvneshwar Kumar with Mayank Yadav. Bhuvneshwar had recently returned to the national side after a four-year absence but failed to impress across the opening games. "We've made two changes. Ishan comes back in for Vaibhav, and Mayank replaces Bhuvi," Iyer said but didn't go into details.

When asked about India's performance in the previous match, he added: "Yes, absolutely. The intent and positivity right from ball one were amazing. The most important aspect was adapting to the conditions. We realised that anything bowled on a hard length or half-volley was going into the stands, so it was better to bowl yorkers as early as possible. The execution was phenomenal."

Auckland presents a unique challenge for India due to its unusual ground dimensions and unpredictable weather. Addressing these factors, Shreyas remarked: "Absolutely, and the wind seems to follow us everywhere-it's getting chilly again. However, we're determined to leave no stone unturned; that is our mindset. Even though we have won the series, I still feel the job is only half done."

Regarding India's approach after taking an unassailable series lead, he noted: "It's vital to remain ruthless, irrespective of past results. The message to the team is clear: remain unruffled no matter the occasion. Everyone is in high spirits."

On the condition of the pitch, Iyer observed: "You never know. There is a decent amount of grass, so we are definitely expecting bounce and seam movement."

India Playing XI: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer (c), Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Naman Dhir, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Mayank Yadav, Prince Yadav.

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