Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi Included in India’s T20 Squad for New Zealand Series

According to a recent announcement by the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India), Shreyas Iyer and Ravi Bishnoi will replace the injured Tilak Varma and the spin-bowling all-rounder Washington Sundar for the upcoming T201 series against New Zealand starting from January 21.

The reason for Tilak’s replacement is his belly pain during the Vijay Hazare Trophy training session. As a result, he got disqualified from the first three T201 matches against New Zealand in Rajkot recently.

Meanwhile, middle-order batsman Sundar got injured while playing the first ODI against New Zealand and was dropped from the whole ODI series, and Ayush Badoni became his replacement.

He (Sundar) won’t be able to play for the upcoming five-match T201 series. The Selection Committee has added leg spinner Ravi Bishnoi to the squad in his place.

Bishnoi has previously played in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he took nine wickets in seven games.

Talking about Shreyas Iyer, he last played a T201 against Australia in December 2023.

Washington Sundar Injury Update: Side Strain Confirmed, Advised Rest

Washington Sundar underwent scans after he complained of acute pain in his lower rib while bowling against New Zealand at the BCA stadium, Vadodara, in the first ODI on January 11, 2026.

According to the BCCI statement, after his personal consultation with the health expert, he was diagnosed with a side strain and was told to take rest for some days, after which he can report to the BCCI Centre of Excellence (COE) for further care.

Tilak to Miss the First Three T201 Series, Shreyas Joins the Squad

Based on the recent decision of the BCCI selection committee, Tilak Varma will not be a part of the first three T201s of the series.

This prompted selectors to add Shreyas Iyer to the squad. This will mark his return to the T20 format after a long gap. His last match was against Australia in Bengaluru in 2023.

In that match, Iyer performed very well with a crucial innings that helped India win. His inclusion in the team brings stability in the middle order, which makes him a proven match-winner, with the ability to withstand pressure situations.

With his comeback, it will bolster the team’s batting lineup. It will encourage them to perform better against New Zealand in the upcoming series.

As of now, it is not confirmed whether Sundar and Tilak will recover in time and bounce back with their performances for the T20 World Cup ahead.

India’s Revised T20I Squad

Let’s have a brief look at the list of India’s final T20 squad below

• Suryakumar Yadav (Captain)
• Axar Patel (Vice Captain)
• Sanju Samson (Wicket Keeper)
• Ishan Kishan (Wicket Keeper)
• Arshdeep Singh
• Hardik Pandya
• Jasprit Bumrah
• Ravi Bishnoi
• Shreyas Iyer
• Rinku Singh
• Kuldeep Yadav
• Shivam Dube
• Harshit Rana
• Abhishek Sharma
• Varun Chakaravarthy

Brief Facts about Shreyas Iyer & Ravi Bishnoi

Shreyas Iyer is an Indian cricket team player lauded for his sturdy batting style in the middle order. Known for his calm composure, he has helped India win as a spin bowler and has played a pivotal role in limited-overs cricket. Besides this, Iyer has also excelled in leadership quality both in domestic cricket and IPL.

Talking about Ravi Bishnoi, he is an Indian leg-spinner and is best known for his speedy arm action and striking bowling style. His performance in T20 cricket has been impressive. All credit goes to his ability to take wickets quickly and keep runs in check in the middle overs. Representing India in limited-over formats, Bishnoi has remained strong in his spinning attack.

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