In a tactical masterstroke, Suryakumar Yadav’s India won the toss and elected to field in the fourth T20 International against New Zealand at Visakhapatnam’s ACA-VDCA Stadium. The decision underscores the hosts’ confidence amid series dominance.
A minor tweak saw Ishan Kishan rested with a niggle, handing Arshdeep Singh a spot in the eleven. ‘Dew was a factor in training yesterday,’ Suryakumar revealed. ‘We’re sticking to our winning ways to thrill the crowd. Arshdeep steps up for the injured Ishan.’
The Black Caps responded in kind, slotting Jack Fox in place of Kyle Jamieson. Captain Mitchell Santner observed, ‘Dew’s here early. Batting first suits us on this beauty of a pitch. With some key players missing, Fox gets his chance.’
Recapping India’s rampage: a 48-run win kicked off the series, followed by seven-wicket and eight-wicket triumphs. The streak extends to 11 consecutive T20 series victories since 2024 began—a testament to their white-ball prowess.
New Zealand’s form is dismal, winless in nine T20s versus top teams. Historically, across 28 meetings, India holds a 15-10 edge, plus two super over wins from three ties.
Full India XI: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (keeper), Suryakumar Yadav (skipper), Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Harshit Rana, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah.
New Zealand XI: Tim Seifert (wk), Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (c), Jack Foulkes, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy.
As dew looms large, this matchup promises spin battles and pace duels. Can New Zealand halt India’s juggernaut, or will the hosts seal a 4-0 series triumph?
