Team India opener Vaibhav Suryavanshi is out of India’s XI for the fourth T20I against New Zealand at Eden Park, three days after producing a match-winning innings in India’s series-sealing third T20I. Ishan Kishan, fit again after a right adductor strain, replaced him.
Suryavanshi made 45 from 19 balls in the previous T20I in Wellington, with four fours and four sixes, striking at 236.84. He and Abhishek Sharma added 133 in 7.1 overs, and their 118 for none in the powerplay broke the T20I record of 116 set by Romania against Serbia in 2021. Thanks to the incredible opening partnership, India chased down 199 in 13.2 overs.
The 15-year-old batted at No. 3 in the second T20I but fell for just four off eight deliveries. Yet, with an unassailable 3-0 lead in the best-of-five series, India’s decision to exclude Suryavanshi remains surprising.
The youngster has blossomed in his brief T20I career, winning the Player of the Series in Zimbabwe and averaging 29.50 at an extraordinary strike rate of over 185 in 10 outings.
Fans on X reacted strongly to Suryavanshi’s exclusion with the following reactions:
“Unbelievable they dropped Vaibhav Suryavanshi after that 100+ partnership for the first wicket,” said a fan.
“They dropped Vaibhav again ?? What is wrong with Gambhir and Shreyas?,” a fan said.
“Vaibhav Suryavanshi dropped from the 4th T20I, despite a record-breaking performance in the last match. Politics won, merit lost,” posted a fan.
India will bowl first for a fourth consecutive time in the series
Team India skipper Shreyas Iyer’s fourth toss win brought another bowl-first decision in the fourth T20I against New Zealand. Apart from Kishan replacing Suryavanshi, the Men in Blue also made another change, with Mayank Yadav replacing Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
The series has been one-way. India won the opener in Christchurch by four wickets with two balls to spare, recovered from 70 for 5 to win the second, with Tilak Varma making 51 not out, and then chased 199 in 13.2 overs in Wellington.
India have now won eight of the nine T20Is against the Kiwis this year, including the T20 World Cup 2026 final in Ahmedabad.
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Edited by Venkatesh Ravichandran
