Ishan Kishan’s two-year exile from India’s T20I team ends on January 21, 2026, as he is scheduled to play in the first match of the five-match series against New Zealand in Nagpur. Captain Suryakumar Yadav confirmed on January 20 that the 27-year-old Jharkhand wicketkeeper-batsman will play at number 3 ahead of Shreyas Iyer.

The decision has been taken due to Tilak Verma being unavailable for the first three T20Is following testicular torsion surgery in Rajkot. Verma, a key left-handed batsman at No. 3, is recovering but his availability for the subsequent matches is not certain. Kishan has already been included in India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad, so Suryakumar preferred to give him match time over Iyer, who was included in the squad as a temporary replacement for Tilak.

Suryakumar said in the press conference before the match, “No, Ishaan will bat at number 3.” “We picked him earlier, and he is also in the World Cup squad. So he deserves to play, and he hasn’t played for us for a very long time… Unfortunately, Tilak is not there, so Ishan is the best option for us.” He said that if position number 4 or 5 had to be filled, this election could have been different.

Kishan last played a T20I in November 2023 against Australia and any international match in July 2024 (Test against West Indies). His return comes after controversies, including his removal from the BCCI’s central contract after leaving the team midway through the South Africa tour. He returned to the team with a brilliant performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, in which he scored 517 runs at a strike rate of 197.33 and led Jharkhand to the title.

Injuries continue to impact the team – Washington Sundar was ruled out after the ODI, following which Ravi Bishnoi was included in the squad. “Injuries are part of the game,” Suryakumar said. “We will miss Tilak and Washington, but someone else will get the chance.” This series will serve as important preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup.