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Ishan Kishan’s explosive batting and Suryakumar Yadav’s return to form have helped India build a dominant top-order, easing pressure on the middle order ahead of the T20 World Cup.

India find WC template in NZ series: Kishan, SKY, Abhishek soar; Arshdeep, a perfect foil to Bumrah

Ishan Kishan&rsquo;s explosive batting and Suryakumar Yadav&rsquo;s return to form have helped India build a dominant top-order, easing pressure on the middle order ahead of the T20 World Cup.

Suryakumar Yadav nodded in appreciation from the dugout when Abhishek Sharma creamed New Zealand pacer Jacob Duffy for a six in the third ball of the first over during the fifth T20I in Thiruvananthapuram.
The Indian skipper was at non-striker&rsquo;s end when Ishan Kishan pulled a steep bouncer from Kyle Jamieson over square leg for a six, and once again he nodded in appreciation.
The reasons for his delight could have been:
1. India have found an explosive new template to fuel their title defence in the upcoming T20 World Cup.
2. India now have a core team &mdash; Abhishek, Suryakumar, Kishan &mdash; at the top, capable of executing that strategy consistently.
But Kishan&rsquo;s is the warmest story among that group. He did not even have a BCCI central contract a year back.
Now, he is no longer an outlier but a worthy piece in the management's scheme of things.
Abhishek and Suryakumar too had struggles of their own, but they were largely on field in nature.
On the other hand, Kishan had to quell his inner demons as well, and going by the outings in the just-concluded five-match T20I rubber against New Zealand, he has done a marvellous job of it.
The left-hander made 215 runs from four matches at a strike-rate of 231.18.
 Kishan&rsquo;s strong statement ===============
In a matter of four matches, Kishan has overtaken Sanju Samson as the primary choice for India&rsquo;s wicketkeeper batter in the World Cup.
Suryakumar detailed Kishan&rsquo;s importance in this marauding batting line-up.
&ldquo;We always knew what Ishan Kishan brought to the table. We have seen how he played in domestic cricket just before this series. We always wanted him to bat the same way, not change his identity.
&ldquo;I think he was opening (in domestic cricket), and here he batted at No. 3. But we wanted him to be a game changer and whenever he took to the field, he batted that way. I think he has given a strong statement,&rdquo; he said, hinting at the Jharkhand man opening with Abhishek in the World Cup.
More importantly, Kishan&rsquo;s addition to the top-order and hyper scoring-rate has taken the burden away from India&rsquo;s middle-order, consisting of Suryakumar, Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube.
&ldquo;I really enjoyed batting with Kishan and also with Abhishek Sharma since the first game. I think both of them, when they play together, they completely take the opposition out of the game. The pressure is also very less on the middle-order and the finishers,&rdquo; he added.
A glance at the fifth T20I here will offer a validation of Suryakumar&rsquo;s observation.
When Pandya came to the crease in the 15th over, India were 185 for three, and there was no need for him to take any undue risks to accelerate the scoring, as Kishan, who made his maiden T20I hundred, had already laid a sound platform.
The Baroda man needed to play his natural game, and he did just that, making a risk-free 17-ball 42, driving the total to 271 which at times seemed to settle around 230-240.
 SKY is blue again ==========
Suryakumar&rsquo;s return to form too has played a significant role in India reshaping their approach in T20s.
The Mumbaikar was the highest run-getter in the series with 242 runs, which were made at a strike-rate of 196.74, with three fifties.
He was delighted to be back among runs after an extended barren phase of 23 innings.
&ldquo;Obviously, feeling happy. It&rsquo;s always good to get runs when you are leading a side, you always want to lead by example. I think in 2025 also it was the same Surya, this is also the same Surya.
&ldquo;It was just that I was out of runs. But feeling really good, in a good mental space, very happy with what's happening around in the team,&rdquo; he said.
 Arshdeep to the fore ===========
But then batting is not the only area where India has hit the jackpot.
Arshdeep Singh took eight wickets to emerge as the highest wicket-taker in the series, no mean feat on grounds with flat pitches and short boundaries.
&ldquo;It was a high scoring game when there was heavy dew. Batters will have an edge over the bowlers. But the way we came back after 7-8 overs, the game is not only won in the power play, it's all about how you come back.&rdquo;
The left-arm pacer had conceded 40 runs in his first two overs as Finn Allen took him to the cleaners. But Arshdeep came up with a vastly improved effort in his final two overs &mdash; taking four wickets while conceding just 11 runs.
&ldquo;The way they came back, Arshdeep, Varun, Axar and everyone. I was pleased. You always want to be having your A game on the grounds like this. But the wicket was beautiful. It became even better with the dew, with the ball coming onto the bat nicely. But the way they responded, I think it was good,&rdquo; Suryakumar noted.
Arshdeep&rsquo;s excellent effort (5/51) helped India tide over a rare off-day for Jasprit Bumrah &mdash; 4-0-58-0.
Therefore it was of little surprise to hear the captain lauding the team&rsquo;s ability to respond to various situations.
&ldquo;Whenever we win a game we also try to learn something out of it. Yeah, these five games were good prep before we start our World Cup campaign and me and boys are very excited,&rdquo; he added.

Ishan Kishan’s sensational maiden T20I century and Arshdeep Singh’s five-wicket haul helped India defeat New Zealand by 46 runs and seal the series 4-1 ahead of the T20 World Cup.

Ishan Kishan's maiden T20I ton, Arshdeep's fifer headline India's 46-run victory over NZ

Ishan Kishan&rsquo;s sensational maiden T20I century and Arshdeep Singh&rsquo;s five-wicket haul helped India defeat New Zealand by 46 runs and seal the series 4-1 ahead of the T20 World Cup.

Ishan Kishan&rsquo;s thrill-a-second maiden T20I hundred compensated for Sanju Samson&rsquo;s familiar failure, and the knock in conjunction with Arshdeep Singh's fifer scripted India's 46-run romp over New Zealand in the fifth and final match in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday.&nbsp;
India thus sealed the series 4-1, and wrapped up their preparations to defend the T20 World Cup title on a highly satisfactory note.
Once India made a humongous 271 for five, riding on Kishan&rsquo;s (103, 43 balls, 6x4, 10x6) and skipper Suryakumar Yadav&rsquo;s (63, 30b, 4x4, 6x6), only the margin of victory was needed to be known. The Kiwis fought gamely in pockets, but eventually finished with 225 all out.
For India, pacer Arshdeep regrouped from his early travails to take a delightful five-wicket haul (5/51). He had conceded 40 runs in his first two overs for the wicket of Tim Seifert, but then took four wickets in the next three overs for a mere 11 runs.
Fin Allen (80, 38b) played a powerful innings upfront but the target was always outside the Kiwis&rsquo; grasp. Allen, the top-scorer in the recently concluded Big Bash League, carried that form to the Greenfield Stadium.
The right-hander put pacer Arshdeep through the shredder, collecting two fours and a six in the opening over of the Kiwis&rsquo; innings. Soon, Allen clubbed the Indian pacer for 4, 4, 6, 4, 4 in his second over to make 23 runs in total.
Allen, who reached his sixth T20I fifty in 22 balls, fell to returning left-arm spinner Axar Patel (3/33), ending a second wicket alliance of 100 runs with Rachin Ravindra (30, 17b). In fact, both the spinners -- Axar and Varun Chakravarthy (1/36) -- did a commendable job in reining in New Zealand after the Power Play.
There was no real life in New Zealand&rsquo;s chase once Allen went back with wickets falling at regular intervals.
 Samson fails again =============
But none entertained a full weekend house more than Kishan on a sultry evening, who came in after the early departures of Samson and Abhishek Sharma. Opener Samson (6), whose fifth successive failure in this series now casts a huge shadow over his T20 World Cup prospects could not get going, falling to pacer Lockie Ferguson.
If he needed a more ominous sign then Kishan later kept the wickets too, giving a hint to the Indian team management&rsquo;s thinking ahead of ICC showpiece, starting in a week&rsquo;s time.
Abhishek (30 off 16 balls) gave a solid start but extra pace from Ferguson did him in as India went through a relatively tepid power play phase &mdash; 54 for two.
But those were the only moments of joy for New Zealand during India&rsquo;s innings after the hosts elected to bat. For the rest of the innings, they were treated with utter disdain by Kishan and Suryakumar during their 137-run third wicket stand which came in just over 10 overs.
Kishan, who missed the fourth T20I with an unspecified injury, showed no trace of rust, putting the New Zealand bowlers through the wringer with his fast hands and nimble feet.
The left-hander started his carnage, smashing Ferguson for a four and six over extra over and the runs never really stopped thereafter.
Kishan brought his 50 in 28 balls with a four off Ish Sodhi and Suryakumar, who also completed 3000 runs in T20Is, went past the mark in two fewer balls with a six off Jacob Duffy.
Kishan, who completed 1000 T20I runs, was severe on Sodhi, creaming the leg-spinner for 29 runs in the 12th over and the sequence of his big-hits read &mdash; 4, 4, 4, 6, 4, 6.
Suryakumar departed in between, getting stumped by Tim Seifert while giving a charge to his opposite number and left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner. But that did not deter Kishan.
The Jharkhand man soon reached the cherished three-figure mark in 42 balls &mdash; a six off Santner took him to 97 and the subsequent one carried him past the landmark, which he celebrated with gusto before melting into Hardik Pandya&rsquo;s bear hug.
Kishan's second fifty came off just 14 balls.
From a team perspective, India made 189 off the last 11 overs at an economy of 17.18 runs per over.
The Kishan show finally ended when he was taken at square leg by Glenn Phillips off Duffy, and walked back to the hut accompanied by cheers and whistles.
Pandya&rsquo;s strong hits (42 off 17 balls) towards the end ensured that India went past the 250-run mark for the fourth time in their T20I history.

Several members of the Indian cricket team, including captain Suryakumar Yadav, visited the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram to offer prayers ahead of the fifth T20I against New Zealand.

Indian Cricket Team Visits Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple Ahead of Final T20I

Cricketers Visit Renowned Temple Before T20I

Several members of the Indian cricket team, including captain Suryakumar Yadav, visited the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram to offer prayers ahead of the fifth T20I against New Zealand.

At least seven members of the Indian cricket team offered prayers at the famous Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple on Friday morning, ahead of the fifth and final Twenty20 International against New Zealand.
The players arrived in the city on January 29 and visited the temple at around 9.15 am on Friday, sources said.
Wearing traditional temple attire, the group included India&rsquo;s T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav, all-rounder Axar Patel, and batters Rinku Singh and Varun Chakravarthy.
Spin bowlers Kuldeep Yadav and Ravi Bishnoi, along with fielding coach T Dilip, were also part of the visit.
The team members spent around 30 minutes at the sprawling temple complex, seeking blessings before the decisive match.
The Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, known for its rich history and ornate architecture, is one of South India&rsquo;s most revered Hindu shrines.
India and New Zealand are set to play the final T20I on Saturday.&nbsp;

Shivam Dube’s explosive half-century went in vain as India suffered a 50-run defeat against New Zealand in the fourth T20I in Visakhapatnam.

Dube's marauding fifty in vain as NZ beat India by 50 runs in 4th T20I

Shivam Dube&rsquo;s explosive half-century went in vain as India suffered a 50-run defeat against New Zealand in the fourth T20I in Visakhapatnam.

Shivam Dube flickered brightly with a fifty of exceptional quality but it was insufficient to prevent India&rsquo;s 50-run defeat against New Zealand in the fourth T20I in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday.
The clean-hitting Dube 65 (23 balls, 3x4, 7x6) batted all but his own in India&rsquo;s steep chase of 216, but the hosts eventually finished at 165 all out as the Kiwis reduced the margin to 3-1 in the five-match series.
With Ishan Kishan sitting out with an unspecified injury, Abhishek Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav were expected to lead the chase.
But Abhishek fell in the first ball of India&rsquo;s innings, skying Matt Henry to Devon Conway at deep point.
Suryakumar&rsquo;s meek push was converted into a brilliant return catch by Jacob Duffy as India slumped to 9 for 2.
Rinku Singh (39) and Sanju Samson (24) tried to keep India afloat but they struggled to force the pace either in the Power Play or after that.
Rinku fell leg before to Zak Foulkes and Samson, who hit a delicious flicked six off Duffy, was foxed by Mitchell Santner&rsquo;s straight delivery to get castled.
Hardik Pandya too returned without any significant contribution as India further slipped to 82 for five in the 11th over, leaving Dube and Harshit Rana (9) to save the day.
Dube batted fearlessly, and hardly displayed the pressure of an ever-climbing asking rate that hovered around 14 almost all the while.
Dube, who was saved by DRS from a leg-before decision on 46, raised the hopes in the Indian camp, biffing 29 runs off leg-spinner Ish Sodhi&rsquo;s third over that included a sequence of 4, 6, 4, 6, 6.
The left-hander brought up his fifty in just 15 balls with a six over square leg off Duffy.
The sixth wicket of Dube and Harshit Rana added 63 runs and the latter&rsquo;s contribution was a princely four runs.
But Dube&rsquo;s fortune finally deserted him when Rana&rsquo;s rasping straight drive shattered the stumps at non-striker&rsquo;s end after taking a deflection off Henry&rsquo;s hand.
That effectively signalled the end of India&rsquo;s chase.
Earlier, New Zealand&rsquo;s innings revolved around Tim Seifert&rsquo;s blistering fifty.
Seifert (62 off 36 balls, 7x4, 3x6) was the standout Kiwi batter but he did not have enough followers to fully drive home the advantage after India produced tight bowling in the middle overs.
Seifert, who joined the team after appearing in the recent Big Bash League, did not hide his intention, smoking Arshdeep Singh for three fours in a row, although two of them were off edges.
But in the next over, the right-hander smashed Rana for a six over long-on, showcasing his muscle and timing.
In the pacer&rsquo;s next over, Seifert eked out a six and four in successive balls before sending a Jasprit Bumrah delivery to the sight-screen for another maximum.
New Zealand reached fifty in the fourth over and ended the Power Play at 71 for no loss.
Seifert&rsquo;s frenetic innings also helped Devon Conway (44) to settle down and then have a go at the Indian bowlers.
After meandering to 9 off 9 balls, the left-hander found his range, plundering two fours and a six off Ravi Bishnoi &mdash; a loft between long-on and mid-wicket, a square cut and a slog sweep.
Conway made 35 runs off the next 13 balls but soon holed out to Rinku Singh at deep cover off Kuldeep Yadav, as the home side snapped a 100-run opening wicket alliance.
Seifert soon completed a 25-ball fifty but India found a small creek on the door, and soon snaffled four wickets in the space of 37 runs to reduce the Kiwis to 137 for four in 13.4 overs.
The Indians did not bowl any magic spell but the visiting batters were overly eager to maintain a run rate of 12 that the Seifert-Conway combine was scoring at.
But that overzealous attempt resulted in them losing wickets in a cluster.
Daryl Mitchell (39 not out, 18b) made some strong hits in the death overs to take New Zealand past 200.

Abhishek Sharma smashed a 35-ball 84 as India out-batted New Zealand by 48 runs in the opening T20I in Nagpur, setting up a commanding victory with a total of 238.

Abhishek Sharma's blitz powers India to big T20I win over New Zealand

Abhishek Sharma smashed a 35-ball 84 as India out-batted New Zealand by 48 runs in the opening T20I in Nagpur, setting up a commanding victory with a total of 238.

Abhishek Sharma's pyrotechnics followed a now familiar script with India out-batting New Zealand by 48 runs in the opening T20 International in Nagpur on Wednesday.&nbsp;
Abhishek, who has made it a habit of lighting up the evenings in stadiums across the cricketing globe with his array of monstrous hits, smashed 84 off just 35 balls and was complemented well by Rinku Singh (44 not out off 20 balls) who applied the finishing touches in India's commanding score of 238 for 7 on a Jamtha shirt-front.
In reply, Glenn Phillips (78 off 40 balls) did indulge in some scary hitting in company of Mark Chapman (39 off 24 balls) as they added 79 off just seven overs but scoreboard pressure was such that they were eventually buried under a deluge of runs.&nbsp;
New Zealand's final reply was 190 for 7 with Varun Chakravarthy (2/37) again picking up crucial wickets while Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya provided initial breakthroughs.
In the past 12 months, one format where Indian team has looked unbeatable is the shortest one and the primary reason being the 25-year-old Abhishek, whose Key Responsibility Area (KRA) in the T20 national team is to leave the opposition bowlers scared as well as scarred.&nbsp;
On the day, the world's top ranked T20I batter showed no mercy while making the Black Cap fielders look like mere bystanders with eight towering sixes and five fours.
Abhishek's carefree hitting also helped his skipper Suryakumar Yadav (32 off 22 balls) get some runs although he was far from his best. But the young opener's attack at all costs gave his skipper a chance to play himself in during a 99-run stand off 47 balls for the third wicket.
Towards the end, Rinku Singh (44 not out off 20 balls) got to play an innings of substance after a long time with India ending their 20 overs in fantastic fashion. For someone who nowadays can hardly put a foot wrong, it took Abhishek exactly five deliveries to set his eye in against Jacob Duffy (2/27 in 4 overs) before the first of his eight maximums came out of the closet. It was a lofted six into the sight screen.
In between, Sanju Samson (10) and Ishan Kishan (8) wasted opportunities and when Abhishek got his chance next time, there was no looking back. Abhishek's USP is his tremendous bat-speed that he generates and New Zealand's attack didn't have any bowler of express pace to challenge the Punjab southpaw.
The bat comes straight and gives him ample chance to create more scoring zones in-front of the square. The deliveries from Kristian Clarke and Kyle Jamieson came at an ideal speed of early 130 clicks on a featherbed and balls sailed over the ropes.
Such was his six-hitting prowess that his first three boundaries came off spinner Glenn Phillips' bowling after he had smashed four maximums. At the other end, Suryakumar looked scratchy but two shots -- a back-foot punch through covers off Duffy and a whiplashed six off Clarke behind square -- did provide glimpses of a vintage Indian skipper. But in general, he is still far from his best.
A normally consistent Black Caps skipper Mitchell Santner (1/37 in 3 overs) did try to slow things and got some partial success when Suryakumar was holed out at long-on, failing to get required the elevation.
Undeterred, Abhishek carried on with his mayhem although he was out in the very next over when leg-spinner Ish Sodhi just shortened the length of his leg-break a tad bit and Jamieson gobbled it with his giant palms.
Towards the end, Rinku got to face enough deliveries to make an impact as he clobbered Daryl Mitchell's first and innings' last over for 21 runs to take the team to an improbable total.

New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell tops the ICC ODI rankings after a stellar series in India, surpassing Virat Kohli, with Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran rising to third.

Daryl Mitchell overtakes Virat Kohli to reclaim No. 1 spot in ICC ODI rankings

New Zealand&rsquo;s Daryl Mitchell tops the ICC ODI rankings after a stellar series in India, surpassing Virat Kohli, with Afghanistan&rsquo;s Ibrahim Zadran rising to third.

Indian superstar Virat Kohli was on Wednesday displaced from the top spot by New Zealand swashbuckler Daryl Mitchell in the latest ICC ODI rankings for batters following the latter's stupendous run of form in the just-concluded series.
New Zealand won the series 1-2, their first on Indian soil in the ODI format, to end a 37-year wait.
Mitchell scored two hundreds during the rubber and the 34-year-old also became the fourth-fastest male to nine one-day international hundreds, in just his 54th innings, sitting behind only Imam-ul-Haq (48), Hashim Amla (52) and Quinton de Kock (53).
The Hamilton product is in the form of his life, scoring 352 runs across the three-game series.
His series total was the most ever by a New Zealander in a three-match ODI series and the third-most of all time, behind only Pakistan's Babar Azam (360 against the West Indies in 2016) and India's Shubman Gill (360 against New Zealand in 2023).
"With 845 ranking points, he aptly replaces Kohli (795 points) who drops to No.2 on the list in the latest rankings release. The pair sit well clear of a chasing pack that includes Ibrahim Zadran, Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Babar Azam," the ICC said in a statement.
It is the second time Mitchell has held the No.1 ranking in ODI cricket, but his previous spell at the top only lasted three days last November before he was overtaken by Rohit.
Only South African AB de Villiers has more ODI centuries in India against India (five) than Mitchell now does (four).
In 54 innings, Mitchell is yet to record an ODI duck, which is the second-longest all-time streak, behind only Kepler Wessels, who was astonishingly never removed for naught across his 105 ODI innings between 1983 and 1994.
The son of notable rugby coach John, who is currently in charge of England's World Cup-winning women's side, Mitchell toiled for much of his 20s, accumulating over 200 games worth of domestic experience in his homeland.
 Other notable movement
Behind Mitchell and Kohli, Afghanistan's Zadran (third, 764 ranking points) swaps spots with India's Rohit (fourth, 757).
Glenn Phillips and Mitchell combined for a 219-run stand in their series-sealing win in Indore, the second-highest partnership in New Zealand's ODI history.
Phillips blasted 106 runs off 88 balls, seeing him climb 16 places up to 20th.
Phillips also rises 14 spots to equal-31st on the list for ODI all-rounders, which Afghanistan's Azmatullah Omarzai remains at the top of.
New Zealand's Michael Bracewell was the big mover in the ODI bowling rankings, jumping six spots to 33rd after his returns in the first two games of the India series.
The top of the bowling ranks remain unchanged, with Afghanistan star Rashid Khan (710 points) remaining the clear frontrunner ahead of England speedster Jofra Archer (670 points).
Rashid also moved up two spots to second on the latest rankings for T20I bowlers, following his two-wicket haul for Afghanistan in the opening match of their series against the West Indies in Dubai.

India begin their five-match T20I series against New Zealand in Nagpur, with skipper Suryakumar Yadav under pressure to rediscover form ahead of the T20 World Cup title defence.

India vs New Zealand T20I Series: Suryakumar Yadav's Leadership Amid Batting Struggles

India vs NZ T20I Series: Challenges for Suryakumar

India begin their five-match T20I series against New Zealand in Nagpur, with skipper Suryakumar Yadav under pressure to rediscover form ahead of the T20 World Cup title defence.

Skipper Suryakumar Yadav would want the attacking batter in him to front up and bolster his leadership against New Zealand when the five-match T20I series gets underway in Nagpur on Wednesday, serving as a final dress rehearsal for India's World Cup title defence in less than three weeks' time.
Since Suryakumar took over as India's T20 skipper in 2024, the results have been stunningly good with a winning percentage of more than 72 per cent. It papered over the skipper's woeful form with the willow for quite a while but not anymore.
The Indian T20 outfit has been on autopilot mode during the last two years with an odd defeat here and there being small blemishes for a crack team made up of top quality IPL performers knowing their roles to the 'T'.
However, the pressure of playing at home amid expectations that India become the first ever team to defend its title will weigh heavily on Suryakumar's mind going into the New Zealand series.
New Zealand, in the past one year, has achieved many firsts, including a Test series whitewash and a first ever bilateral ODI series win in India.
But when it comes to T20Is, India under Suryakumar have been a different beast having won 18 out of 25 games, largely due to Abhishek Sharma's blazing starts and Varun Chakravarthy's bamboozling performances in middle overs of opposition innings.
New Zealand have won 13 out of their 21 T20Is post the 2024 T20 World Cup.
With Devon Conway, skipper Mitchell Santner, world's premier T20I seamer Jacob Duffy and the duo of Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips in their ranks, New Zealand are as strong an opposition as one can expect.
It also means that the defending champions will get to make perfect World Cup preparations.
In this backdrop, it is Indian skipper Suryakumar, whose poor form has been the weak link of a formidable team.
Unarguably, 2025 was his worst in India colours with only 218 runs from 19 games without a single fifty and a strike rate of 123 plus.
It made matters worse that he got himself down to No.4 in order to allow Tilak Varma to get a longer run at No.3.
Bowlers across the globe have found out that straight deliveries at hard lengths can keep him quiet and conjectures about the state of his right wrist have only made things difficult.
A non-performing captain slowly loses respect of the dressing room and that is the last thing that the man from Mumbai's Chembur would want going into the T20 World Cup.
 Shreyas or Ishan?
In any other country, a player of Shreyas Iyer's calibre would have been an automatic choice in a T20I set up, having led three separate franchises to IPL finals and winning once.
The best player of spinners in this Indian set-up, Iyer's lucky break has come due to in-form Tilak Varma's abdominal surgery.
It still isn't clear if Tilak would recover in time for the marquee event but presence of Iyer at No.4 would give Suryakumar a chance to bat at a familiar No.3 slot.
However, if one takes into account that Tilak is a left-hander then Ishan Kishan, currently in red hot form, could also make a case for himself.
Kishan is someone who won't be effective beyond No.3 as he is more of an enforcer within powerplay overs but for the skipper's own sake, he would do better batting at that slot.
 Return of Hardik, Bumrah and Varun
The T20 series also marks the return of all-rounder Hardik Pandya and pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah after some well-earned rest during the ODI series.
Pandya brings in the balance to the T20 side with his skills and his presence means the team management can afford to play an extra specialist.
They will be joined by Varun Chakravarthy, the biggest "X" factor in this set up whom the New Zealanders haven't played much.
Varun's four overs between 7th to 15th often turn the match on its head and with Kuldeep Yadav being in indifferent form, the Tamil Nadu man would need to step up even more.
Varun's battles against Mitchell and Phillips will decide the fate of the series.
For New Zealand pacer bowling all-rounder Kristian Clarke, who claimed seven wickets including Virat Kohli twice across the three games of the recent ODI series, wil stay for the T20 series as both Michael Bracewell and Adam Milne are nursing niggles.
Teams (From):
India: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Rinku Singh, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana.
New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (captain), Devon Conway, Bevon Jacobs, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Tim Robinson, Jimmy Neesham, Ish Sodi, Zak Foulkes, Mark Chapman, Michael Bracewell, Rachin Ravindra, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy, Kristian Clarke.
Match Starts 7 pm.

India captain Shubman Gill reflected on the first-ever home bilateral ODI series defeat to New Zealand, highlighting missed batting conversions, fielding lapses, and emerging talent Harshit Rana as a bright spot.

India Faces First Home ODI Series Defeat Against New Zealand

India's Historic Loss to New Zealand in ODI Series

India captain Shubman Gill reflected on the first-ever home bilateral ODI series defeat to New Zealand, highlighting missed batting conversions, fielding lapses, and emerging talent Harshit Rana as a bright spot.

India's first-ever bilateral ODI series defeat at home against New Zealand was not just a statistical jolt but a moment of uncomfortable clarity, and skipper Shubman Gill did not hide behind the margin of defeat or missing personnel.
Speaking after the loss in the series-deciding game in Indore on Sunday, the India captain instead laid bare a pattern that, in his words, "made the difference between the two teams".
"For me, it wasn't that we didn't bat well. It was that we didn't bat long enough. When batsmen are getting starts and they're not able to convert those starts, especially in high-scoring matches, it becomes very difficult. At least two batters need to go on and play that long innings," said Gill after the 41-run defeat at Holkar Stadium. "That was the difference between them and us."
The inability to turn promising starts into match-defining scores haunted India throughout the series, including in Indore where Virat Kohli's century briefly threatened to swing the momentum back.
Gill repeatedly returned to the contrast with New Zealand's approach. "Whenever their batsmen got set, they scored long. That's the difference. Even in the first two matches, I got set, but I wasn't able to convert it into 100, 120 or 130, and that's something we need to get better at as a batting unit."
The conversation then inevitably turned to Ravindra Jadeja, whose returns with both bat and ball have dipped over the last two to three years. Gill was quick to contextualise the all-rounder's struggles rather than isolate them.
"Jaddu bhai was looking in good touch with the bat. But it wasn't just him. I don't think any of our batsmen were able to consistently convert the starts we were getting. On pitches like these, if you don't make those starts count, you&rsquo;re always chasing the game."
Gill also acknowledged that Jadeja's wicket-taking impact &mdash; once a cornerstone of India's ODI dominance &mdash; hasn't been the same recently.
"The way he has been bowling in the past couple of years, he has always been a strike option for us. It's unfortunate he couldn't pick as many wickets as he would have liked, but that happens in series like these. You learn from it and you grow."
India's fielding lapses emerged as another decisive factor, especially as overseas teams continue to narrow the gap in Indian conditions. Gill admitted that missed chances shifted momentum at critical moments.
"We dropped some catches at very important stages of the game. On wickets like these, bowlers are trying to force chances, and when those catches don't stick, it's not easy. No one drops a catch intentionally, but it's one area we really have to improve."
While Rohit Sharma's modest returns across the series &mdash; 61 runs &mdash; drew scrutiny, Gill backed his senior opener's intent and approach.
"He has been in very good form. You won't always be able to convert the starts you get. As a batsman, you always want to make it into hundreds, but that doesn't happen every time. That's impossible. What's important is that the intent and rhythm are there."
 Harshit Rana is a great prospect for future
Amid the disappointment, Gill highlighted a positive that could shape India's future ODI balance &mdash; the rise of Harshit Rana as a lower-order batting option.
"Batting at number eight is a very important position for us. All the top teams in the world bat really deep. We want to give opportunities to players who can strengthen that depth, and Harshit is someone who is constantly improving his batting."
Gill went further, underlining why Rana excites the team management.
"You don't get too many bowlers who can consistently bowl at 140-plus with the height that he has," he said. "And the way he is batting right now, he keeps getting better. In the future, he can be a very good prospect for us."
With the World Cup still some distance away, Gill believes the defeat offers clarity rather than crisis.
"The way we want to play, we haven't been able to do it consistently in this series," he admitted. "But we have time. As long as all the players are aware of what we need to work on, hopefully in the next one or two series we can fix those areas and perform the way we want to."

Virat Kohli’s superb century could not prevent India’s first-ever home ODI series defeat to New Zealand, who sealed a historic 2-1 win with a 41-run victory in Indore.

Kohli hundred not enough as New Zealand clinch series with Indore win

Virat Kohli&rsquo;s superb century could not prevent India&rsquo;s first-ever home ODI series defeat to New Zealand, who sealed a historic 2-1 win with a 41-run victory in Indore.

Virat Kohli&rsquo;s magnificent, combative century, forged with trademark resolve under mounting pressure, proved heartbreakingly insufficient as India slumped to their first-ever bilateral ODI series defeat at home against New Zealand, losing the decider by 41 runs at the Holkar Stadium in Indore on Sunday.
Kohli&rsquo;s 124 off 108 balls was a study in controlled aggression and steely temperament. The chase master shouldered the responsibility almost single-handedly, counter-punching a disciplined New Zealand attack with crisp drives, well-judged pulls and calculated risks over the ropes.
As wickets tumbled regularly at the other end, Kohli dug in, refusing to let the chase drift away, but once he fell late in the innings, India&rsquo;s resistance finally collapsed at 296 in 46 overs while chasing a stiff 338.
The defeat not only handed New Zealand a 2-1 series win but also marked a historic first -- India had never before lost a home ODI series to the Kiwis.
It was a sobering evening for the hosts, made more poignant by the fact that one of their finest modern-day batters had delivered a near-perfect response to adversity.
Earlier, Daryl Mitchell's second consecutive hundred and Glenn Phillips' blistering century powered New Zealand to a competitive 337 for eight despite early jolts from India&rsquo;s pace attack.
Mitchell (137) and Phillips (106) stitched together a 219-run partnership for the fourth wicket that turned the innings on its head.
Calm and authoritative, Mitchell anchored the stand while Phillips provided the momentum, allowing New Zealand to shift gears after a cautious start.
India were controlling the innings at one stage, having reduced the visitors to 58 for three but Mitchell and Phillips made it a contest.
Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh, brought in for Prasidh Krishna, made an immediate impact by removing Henry Nicholls (0) with a beauty in the opening over.
Coming closer to the off-stump, Arshdeep (3/63) shaped the ball away to perfection as Nicholls, caught in two minds, withdrew his bat late and saw the delivery take the inside edge and crash into the leg-stump.
Arshdeep and fellow seamer Harshit Rana (3/84) hit the deck hard and extracted just enough movement to keep the New Zealand batters under check early on.
The visitors managed only 47 runs in the first 10 overs, losing both openers cheaply.
Harshit dismissed Devon Conway (5) for the third straight time, inducing an edge with a back-of-a-length delivery that was safely taken in the slips.
Will Young (30) attempted to break the shackles with a six over deep backward point off Harshit but the bowler had the last laugh.
Harshit broke the 53-run stand between Young and Mitchell when the former cut firmly to the right of Ravindra Jadeja at backward point, where the Indian all-rounder took a comfortable catch.
Mitchell once again set the tone for New Zealand&rsquo;s recovery by taking on Kuldeep Yadav early, launching the left-arm wrist-spinner for a towering six.
In reply, India&rsquo;s chase began shakily.
Rohit Sharma fell early for 11, caught by Kristian Clarke off Zak Foulkes, and Shubman Gill was dismissed for 23 by Kyle Jamieson, leaving India two down inside seven overs.
Kohli immediately set about rebuilding the innings with purpose.
Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul failed to provide support, departing cheaply as India slipped to 71 for four.
Kohli, however, remained unflustered, rotating strike efficiently and punishing loose deliveries.
His partnership with Nitish Kumar Reddy (53 off 57 balls) revived India&rsquo;s hopes, with the duo adding valuable runs through intelligent placement rather than reckless hitting.
Even as required rate climbed, Kohli continued to attack selectively, reaching his century that drew loud applause from the Indore crowd.
Harshit Rana&rsquo;s late cameo of 52 off 43 balls briefly reignited hopes, but the asking rate proved too steep.
Kohli&rsquo;s dismissal at 292 for nine -- caught by Daryl off Kristian Clarke -- sealed India&rsquo;s fate.
As New Zealand celebrated a landmark triumph on Indian soil, Kohli walked off to a standing ovation, his innings a lone beacon on a night of collective disappointment for the hosts.
For the visitors, it was a moment to savour -- a historic series win achieved through composure, power and belief.
For India, it's a reminder that even home dominance can crumble despite individual brilliance.

Daryl Mitchell’s brilliant unbeaten 131 overshadowed KL Rahul’s ton as New Zealand defeated India by seven wickets in the second ODI in Rajkot, levelling the three-match series 1-1.

2nd ODI: Daryl Mitchell’s unbeaten 131 seals New Zealand’s series-levelling win in Rajkot

Daryl Mitchell&rsquo;s brilliant unbeaten 131 overshadowed KL Rahul&rsquo;s ton as New Zealand defeated India by seven wickets in the second ODI in Rajkot, levelling the three-match series 1-1.

Indian spinners were out-bowled on home turf once again and KL Rahul&rsquo;s unbeaten ton was eclipsed by Daryl Mitchell&rsquo;s splendid 131 not out as New Zealand levelled the three-match series 1-1 with a seven-wicket win in the second ODI in Rajkot on Wednesday.
New Zealand not only adapted but also executed better than India on a sluggish wicket here at the Niranjan Shah Stadium to keep the hosts to 284/7 despite Rahul&rsquo;s 91-ball 112 not out (9 fours, 1 six), and overhauled the target in 47.3 overs to end at 286 for three.
The series-deciding third ODI will be played in Indore on Sunday.
Young and Mitchell, among the architects of New Zealand&rsquo;s 3-0 Test series win over India on their previous visit, batted with poise and control even as the asking rate hovered over six an over.
They cruised at a little above five during their second-wicket association which consumed 152 balls for 162 runs, and there wasn&rsquo;t any late hiccup to prevent a turnaround.
Young&rsquo;s (87 from 98 balls; 7 fours) solidity in the middle was complemented by the adroitness of Mitchell, who brought out almost all kinds of sweep shots to notch up his third ton against India and overall eighth, finishing at 131 not out from 117 balls (11 fours, 2 sixes).
New Zealand&rsquo;s triumph in a 50-overs match also took the spotlight back onto a problem which India have faced in Tests for about two years now, with the home team&rsquo;s spin attack being outmatched by that of the visitors, albeit that's been mostly in red-ball cricket.
Debutant left-arm spinner Jayden Lennox, summoned on this trip as replacement of Mitchell Santner, kept a tight leash on Indian batters returning 10-0-42-1 while Kuldeep Yadav (10-0-82-1) kept bowling short and failed to give the ball a flight despite repeated messages from Rahul behind the wickets.
And when Kuldeep did give it a flight and forced a mishit, Prasidh Krishna dropped a regulation chance at long-on in the 36th over to give Mitchell a lifeline on 80.
Kuldeep finally broke the third-wicket stand dismissing Young and Mohammed Siraj pinned Mitchell leg-before soon after, but the decision was overturned via DRS as there was an inside edge.
With Michael Bracewell also returning a tidy 1/34 from his 10 overs earlier, the collective return from visiting spinners was of 89 runs for two wickets in 23 overs including Glenn Phillips&rsquo; 3-0-13-0.
On their part, Kuldeep and Ravindra Jadeja (8-0-44-0) gave away 1/126 from their collective 18 overs.
New Zealand also held their ground firm when Harshit Rana (1/52) and Siraj steamed in with the new ball to create immense pressure, reaching 34/1 after the powerplay.
In particular, Rana asked the Kiwis a lot of questions and also dismantled Devon Conway&rsquo;s off-stump, who had cracked three fours early on for a positive start.
Earlier, KL Rahul held a faltering innings together on a sluggish surface with a gutsy hundred.
Rahul produced a gritty unbeaten 112 off 92 balls which included 11 fours and two sixes, forging vital partnerships in the second half and snatching control from the Kiwis who had ran through India&rsquo;s formidable batting line-up earlier.
New Zealand had seized control with discipline and some stroke of luck as India had slipped from 99 for one to 118 for four before the halfway mark.
The other major contribution from captain Shubman Gill (56 off 53), who collected his second half-century in as many games.
A mishit each proved to be costly for the Indian leadership pair of Gill and Shreyas Iyer (8).
Gill had adjusted well to the nature of the pitch to gain pace, striking nine fours and a six over fine leg with a short-arm jab.
But he failed to read a slow and short ball rammed into the pitch by Kyle Jamieson and meekly pulled it straight to Mitchell for an easy grab at midwicket.
Iyer fell cheaply when he hit one straight off Clarke to Bracewell at mid-off.
However, silence befell on the festive crowd at the Niranjan Shah Stadium when an innocuous delivery outside the off-stump took a thick inside edge and left Virat Kohli&rsquo;s (23) middle stump flattened.
Kohli had begun with a first-ball four but regular wickets at the other end perhaps affected the rhythm with which he has been batting of late, as he had tried to guide the ball behind the wickets but played it on.
With India in need of stability, local hero Ravindra Jadeja (27) walked out amid loud cheers and played his part well in a 73-run stand for the fifth wicket with Rahul.

Virat Kohli regained the top position in ICC Men’s ODI Batters’ rankings after a 93-run innings against New Zealand, marking his 11th time as the No.1 ODI batter.

Virat Kohli returns to No.1 spot in ICC ODI batting rankings

Virat Kohli regained the top position in ICC Men&rsquo;s ODI Batters&rsquo; rankings after a 93-run innings against New Zealand, marking his 11th time as the No.1 ODI batter.

India's star cricketer Virat Kohli has reclaimed the top spot in the ICC ODI rankings for batters, replacing Rohit Sharma, after scoring a brilliant half-century against New Zealand in the first match of the three-game series in Vadodara.
At 37, this marks his return to number one position for the first time since July 2021, while former India skipper Rohit has slipped to third spot.
India defeated the Black Caps by four wickets on Sunday with Kohli scoring a 91-ball 93, which also made him the second-highest run-getter in men's international cricket behind Sachin Tendulkar.
Kohli's recent performances in ODIs have been nothing short of phenomenal. He scored an unbeaten 74 against Australia, 135, 102 and 65 not out against the visiting South Africans, and 93 against New Zealand in his last five outings.
Kohli had gained the top ranking for the first time in October 2013, and it is his 11th different spell in the top spot. As of today, he has been at the top for a total of 825 days &ndash; 10th most by any player, and the most by an Indian batter.
India's ODI skipper Shubman Gill has maintained his fifth spot, while Shreyas Iyer is the other Indian batter in the top-10.
New Zealand all-rounder Daryl Mitchell has gained a spot following his blazing 84 off 71 in the first ODI, and is just one rating point behind Kohli, who is on 785. Mitchell's teammate Devon Conway climbed three spots to secure the 29th position as he continues to score runs at the top.
India pacer Mohammed Siraj has risen five spots to sit in 15th position along with Bangladesh's Mehidy Hasan Miraz in the ODI bowler rankings.
New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Jamieson, following a career-best performance of 4 for 41 runs, has jumped 27 places &ndash; moving up to joint 69th position, where he shares the spot with Indian pacer Arshdeep Singh.

India aim to seal the ODI series against New Zealand in Rajkot, led by Virat Kohli’s stellar form, despite injuries to Washington Sundar, Rishabh Pant, and Tilak Varma.

Kohli's Form Boosts India, Eyes ODI Series Win Against NZ

Kohli Leads India Amid Challenges in ODI Series

India aim to seal the ODI series against New Zealand in Rajkot, led by Virat Kohli&rsquo;s stellar form, despite injuries to Washington Sundar, Rishabh Pant, and Tilak Varma.

Virat Kohli's imperious form has managed to offset mounting injury concerns around some key players and India would hope that the list doesn't get any longer as they close in on sealing the ODI series against New Zealand in the second game in Rajkot on Wednesday.
India made a winning start defeating New Zealand by four wickets in the series opener in Vadodara, but the hosts lost Washington Sundar for the remainder of the series due to a side strain.
The selectors have roped in Delhi's Ayush Badoni but in all likelihood, India would bring in another all-rounder in Nitish Kumar Reddy into the eleven given head coach Gautam Gambhir's preference for multi-skilled players.
On the eve of the first ODI, Rishabh Pant had copped a blow while batting against Indian throw-down staff and was ruled out of the series. His ouster had prompted the selectors to draft in Dhruv Jurel, who can be another option for a specialist batter if the team management decides to go that way.
Despite the available options, India's white-ball set up would not want to see more injuries with the T20 World Cup less than a month away. That squad would feature an entirely different batting line-up from the one in the ODIs.
But some names are common to both sides and an important one, all-rounder Tilak Varma, is out of at least the first three T20Is against the Kiwis due to a groin injury.
However, all of these concerns are for later as the ongoing series continues to be about the two veterans, who have served Indian cricket with distinction. Kohli and Rohit Sharma are clearly enjoying themselves in what is the final leg of a glittering international run.
Kohli narrowly missed his 54th ODI ton in the first ODI but his stroke-filled 91-ball 93 set up India's win even though a mini collapse created a few nervous moments.
However, none of that would worry the think-tank given the chasm between the two sides since New Zealand are also heavily depleted for the ODIs.
Skipper Shubman Gill hit a measured half-century and his deputy Shreyas Iyer missed his by one run in the series opener. But a robust batting show heralded by a dazzling start from Rohit Sharma would keep India assured of going full throttle once again.
For someone who has been batting in the nets with the same intensity as in the game, Kohli is riding high on confidence and performing at a different level. It certainly seems to be a case of him being seemingly free of the burden of expectations and criticism.
There have been additional colours to his batting as neither has Kohli refrained from attacking from the start, nor has he left out any runs out on the park. This is perhaps the reason why he became the fastest to 28,000 runs across formats in Vadodara.
However, India would still like to see a significant improvement in their bowling performance, especially that of spinners, who had to deal with lack of grip and turn in Vadodara.
It was the fast bowlers' improvisation of taking the pace off the ball which resulted in a few breakthroughs in the last game and spinners would hope for better surface support here at the Niranjan Shah Stadium.
Despite the loss in the opening ODI, New Zealand will take a lot of heart in running India close in the first game despite Kohli's exploits.
The equation had remained run-a-ball throughout India's chase of 301 before a three-wicket burst from Kyle Jamieson (4/41) opened up the game. But the Kiwis stuttered with a few late dropped catches and lost the game.
A 117-run opening partnership between southpaws Devon Conway and Henry Nicholls set up the platform which was squandered by the middle-order. But world No.3 Daryl Mitchell's explosive 84 gave New Zealand just about enough runs on the board.
Mitchell Hay and Kristian Clarke's late exploits were another set of positives for the Kiwis, who certainly would hope that rookie leg-spinner Adithya Ashok is better after the experience in Vadodara.
Teams (from): India: Shubman Gill (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ayush Badoni, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana. New Zealand: Michael Bracewell (c), Devon Conway (wk), Mitchell Hay (wk), Nick Kelly, Henry Nicholls, Will Young, Josh Clarkson, Zak Foulkes, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Adithya Ashok, Kristian Clarke, Kyle Jamieson, Jayden Lennox, Michael Rae.
Match starts at 1:30 pm.

India all-rounder Washington Sundar has been ruled out of the ongoing ODI series against New Zealand after suffering a rib injury in Vadodara, joining Rishabh Pant and Tilak Varma on the injury list.

Washington Sundar Ruled Out of India-NZ ODI Series Due to Rib Injury

Washington Sundar Out of ODI Series Due to Injury

India all-rounder Washington Sundar has been ruled out of the ongoing ODI series against New Zealand after suffering a rib injury in Vadodara, joining Rishabh Pant and Tilak Varma on the injury list.

India all-rounder Washington Sundar has been ruled out of the ODI series against New Zealand after suffering a rib injury in the series opener in Vadodara.&nbsp;
The 26-year-old, who bowled five overs for 27 runs, walked off midway through the New Zealand innings and did not return to field on Sunday. Despite the discomfort, he later came out to bat at No. 8 as India picked a four-wicket win.&nbsp;
"Washington has been ruled out due to onset on discomfort in his left lower rib area," a BCCI official told PTI.&nbsp;
Washington is the third Indian player to pick up an injury, wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant was ruled out of the ongoing series after suffering a side strain last week while Tilak Varma is unavailable for the first three T20Is against New Zealand due to a groin injury which required surgery.&nbsp;
India ODI captain Shubman Gill had given a an update on Washington following India's win on Sunday.&nbsp;
"Washington Sundar has a side strain and will go for a scan after the match," Gill said at the post-match presentation.&nbsp;

Fast bowler Harshit Rana says India’s team management is grooming him as an all-rounder, following his key performance with both ball and bat in the opening ODI against New Zealand.

India Coach Gambhir Favors All-Rounders: Rana Steps Up

All-Rounders Take Center Stage in India's Victory

Fast bowler Harshit Rana says India&rsquo;s team management is grooming him as an all-rounder, following his key performance with both ball and bat in the opening ODI against New Zealand.

India head coach Gautam Gambhir has an affinity for all-rounders and fast bowler Harshit Rana has confirmed that the team management has asked him to work on improving his batting skills.
Rana played a vital role in India's four-wicket victory in the opening ODI against New Zealand in Vadodara on Sunday, taking a couple of wickets at the top to derail the Kiwis' progress and chipped in with a vital 29 off 23 late in the chase.
Rana batted ahead of an injured Washington Sundar, who suffered from a side strain, putting his availability in doubt for the second ODI on Wednesday.
"The team management wants to groom me as an all-rounder and it is my task to keep working on it," Rana told reporters here. "I am working on it in the nets as well, and it was a matter of confidence which KL (Rahul) bhai helped me with when I went in (to bat). I kept my focus on it and made the runs," he added.
With premier all-rounder Hardik Pandya not available for the ODI series, India's playing eleven featured both Ravindra Jadeja and Washington in the opening ODI, whereas the team combinations in other formats now regularly feature more than one all-rounder.
Both Pandya and Shivam Dube played four games each in India's five-match T20I series against South Africa last month, whereas the playing elevens for the two-Test series which the hosts lost 0-2, featured at least three all-rounders each in both matches including Jadeja, Washington, Axar Patel and Nitish Kumar Reddy.
Playing multiple all-rounders in the Test side following the crushing loss was criticised heavily by former Indian pacer and KSCA president Venkatesh Prasad, who had expressed that "the all-rounder obsession is absolute brain-fade".
The idea of having so many all-round players as possible can be gauged with the fact that specialist batters Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma and even Abhishek Sharma have rolled their arms over for India and they bowl in their domestic appearances as well.
In the build-up to the second ODI against South Africa last month, both Jaiswal and Tilak were seen putting in equal time in the nets to hone their skills as a batter and a bowler.
After he helped India win the Asia Cup T20, the world No 1 T20I bowler Varun Chakravarthy had told the media that the head coach has asked him to work on his batting skills, for bolstering his chances for selection in ODI team where he gets picked on as-per-need basis.
"My team wants me to bat at No 8 as an all-rounder and whatever time I can give to it in the nets, I focus on that. I believe I can score 30-40 runs for the team lower down the order whenever needed and that&rsquo;s what the team management believes that I can do as well," Rana added.
Rana put on 37 runs for the sixth wicket to stabilise India's innings in the chase with Rahul, after they lost Virat Kohli (93), Jadeja (4) and Shreyas Iyer (49) in quick succession.
"Till Virat bhai was there it felt that the match would end early, maybe with 5-6 overs to spare but a game of cricket can change anytime and you cannot predict it."
When asked if the Indian bowlers struggle to take wickets upfront with the new ball in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, Rana retorted by saying the troika of Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and he bowled well.
"I don&rsquo;t know what cricket you are watching, even today if we did not get the (early) wickets, Siraj bhai bowled really well. We did not give away a lot of runs either with the new ball," he said.
"But these things happen, if you do not get wickets early on then you will get them later, which is what we did. There are different phases in ODI cricket."
"I felt that the pitch was slow, there wasn&rsquo;t much bounce either,&rdquo; Rana added.

Virat Kohli’s fluent 93 and Shubman Gill’s half-century guide India to a tense four-wicket victory over New Zealand in the opening ODI at Vadodara.

Virat Kohli's 93 sets up India's nervy four-wicket win in 1st ODI against New Zealand

Virat Kohli&rsquo;s fluent 93 and Shubman Gill&rsquo;s half-century guide India to a tense four-wicket victory over New Zealand in the opening ODI at Vadodara.

Virat Kohli reigned supreme once again with a 91-ball 93 and skipper Shubman Gill hit 56 but India huffed and puffed before completing a nervy four-wicket win against New Zealand in the opening ODI of the three-match series in Vadodara on Sunday.
In pursuit of 301, India were in complete control when Kohli departed in the 40th over but a flurry of wickets saw the home side going over the line with 306 for six in 49 overs.
Kohli fell a few runs short of what could have been his 54th ODI century when India needed 67 from 66 balls with seven wickets in hand. Ravindra Jadeja (4) and Shreyas Iyer (49) followed him soon in the dressing room, giving New Zealand a real chance to clinch the game.
However, KL Rahul (29 not out) put on 37 runs with Harshit Rana (29), and the remaining runs came in company of an injury-hit Washington Sundar (7 not out), aided by a few uncharacteristic dropped catches by the Kiwis towards the end.
It was Kyle Jamieson (4/41) who dragged New Zealand back in the game when all seemed lost, getting Kohli caught at mid-on to deny the India batting stalwart a deserving ton. He also cleaned up Iyer with an off-cutter and got rid of Jadeja.
Even as he fell a few runs short of a century, Kohli became the quickest to reach 28,000 runs in international cricket and now only the second behind the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, going past Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara.
New Zealand had posed an at-par 300/8 but with Kohli in such imperious form, it never was enough especially with a depleted bowling attack.
If he didn&rsquo;t refrain from hitting over the top early on against South Africa, Kohli pulverised the Kiwis from the moment he arrived on the crease with a flurry of fours. There was that trademark planted front foot for a majestical on-drive to pull behind the short fine leg for a four.
And if the 23-year-old Adithya Ashok was star-struck, Kohli pummelled boundaries off the leg-spinner to make another brisk start. There was a stroke of luck involved too.
Batting on a &lsquo;different level&rsquo; by his own admission, Kohli went hard on a full delivery from debutant Kristian Clarke and an inside edge missed the leg stump.
Kohli added 118 runs off 102 balls for the second wicket with Gill, and the pair went nonchalantly about their task even if no boundary was found for 52 balls at a stretch.
The drought was ended by Gill when he hit one down the ground, which almost cleared the ropes. The Indian skipper took time to find his groove to bring up his 16th half-century in ODIs but as the innings progressed, Gill also struggled, possibly with cramps.
Having stretched his legs a few times, he called the team physiotherapist for some on-field treatment. But the break seemed to have broken the momentum at least for Gill, who hit a googly from rookie leg-spinner Adithya straight to mid-off, walking away for a 71-ball 56 with three fours and two sixes.
The right-handed opener, who had missed the majority of the home series against South Africa, would&rsquo;ve been pleased with his returns which included a spectacular straight drive and a powerful sweep for a six over deep square leg.
The chase began with a few tight overs before Rohit Sharma (26) took the initiative as Gill showed no intention to attack early on.
Having put away a wide ball for a four past point, Rohit picked one off Zakary Foulkes over square leg, and danced down to hit Jamieson over mid-on for another, taking his tally to 650 sixes in international cricket.
However, Jamieson appeared to have followed Rohit who moved away from wickets to clear the infield, but his bat twisted inside at the time of connection and he was dismissed in the ninth over.
Earlier, Daryl Mitchell stood tall with a stroke-filled half-century to help New Zealand post 300 for eight.
Mitchell, ranked world No. 3 behind India superstars Kohli and Rohit, lived up to expectations with a gritty knock which gave New Zealand a much-needed impetus amid middle order collapse.
Mitchell clobbered five fours and three sixes to make 84 off 71 balls after New Zealand middle order failed to build on an ideal start given by Devon Conway (56 off 67 balls; 6 fours, 1 six) and Henry Nicholls (62 off 69 balls; 8 fours).
Openers Conway and Nicholls had put on 117 runs to defy India for the first 21 overs, but Harshit Rana&rsquo;s (2/65) second spell of 2-0-13-2 turned the tables and the home side chipped away with regular strikes.
New Zealand skidded from 117 for no loss in the 22nd over to 198 for five in the 38th.
But Mitchell forged vital stands to come to their rescue, while debutant Kristian Clarke struck three late fours to make 17-ball 24 not out.

Indian batter Tilak Varma has successfully undergone surgery for a groin issue and will miss the T20 series against New Zealand. His participation in early T20 World Cup matches remains uncertain.

Tilak Varma Undergoes Surgery, Out of T20 Series Against NZ

Tilak Varma Out After Surgery Before NZ T20

Indian batter Tilak Varma has successfully undergone surgery for a groin issue and will miss the T20 series against New Zealand. His participation in early T20 World Cup matches remains uncertain.

Indian batter Tilak Varma has undergone a surgery for a groin issue that triggered acute pain and is all set to miss the upcoming T20 International series against New Zealand besides being in serious doubt for the first couple of matches in next month's T20 World Cup.
The 23-year-old was rushed to a hospital after complaining of acute pain in Rajkot, where he is with the Hyderabad team for the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy One-day Championship. The five-match T20 series against New Zealand starts January 21 in Nagpur.
"Tilak Varma reported acute Testicular Pain in Rajkot where he is part of the Hyderabad team for the Vijay Hazare tournament. He was taken to Gokul Hospital and on scan was diagnosed with Testicular Torsion (sudden, intense pain) and was advised immediate surgery," a BCCI official told PTI.
"We got an opinion from our specialists who agreed with the same. Tilak Underwent successful surgery and is doing well now. We will update you as soon as we have more information on his recovery and expected time-frame for his return to play post discussion with the medical panel," he added.
It is reliably learnt that Varma is certain to be out of the series against New Zealand.
The World Cup, to be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka, starts on February 7 with India taking on the USA in their opening game in Mumbai. The co-hosts will play their next game on February 12 against Namibia in Delhi.

Kohli and Iyer put together a 163-run partnership as India recorded the highest-ever total in a World Cup knockout match.

Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer hit hundreds as India smash highest ever total in Cricket World Cup knockouts

All the talk before the India vs New Zealand semifinal was dominated by stories about the pitch, but the Men in Blue silenced all critics with a sensational batting performance.

#INDvsNZ #CWC23 #ViratKohli

<h2>Kohli and Iyer put together a 163-run partnership as India recorded the highest-ever total in a World Cup knockout match.</h2>

All the talk before the India vs New Zealand semifinal was dominated by stories about the pitch and how India were wrongfully using it to their advantage. However, the Men in Blue silenced all critics with a sensational batting performance, showcasing how the pitch was never bad.
Shreyas Iyer was the star of the show, smashing a 70-ball 105 but all the limelight rightfully was reserved for <a href="https://www.editorji.com/sports-news/icc-world-cup/virat-kohli-makes-history-overtakes-sachin-tendulkar-to-become-only-cricketer-with-50-odi-centuries-1700048314937">Virat Kohli, who became the first cricketer in history to score 50 ODI centuries</a>. The duo were simply phenomenal as they annihilated the Black Caps at the iconic Wankhede.&nbsp;
It was Rohit Sharma, who led from the front, going ballistic right at the start to mount pressure on the Kiwis. His 29-ball 47 provided the perfect platform for Kohli and Co.
Shubman Gill also was looking in sublime touch but that was before he had to retire hurt due to cramps on 79, with Mumbai heat and humidity taking its toll on the opener.&nbsp;
Kohli and Iyer then put together a 163-run partnership off just 128 balls to leave the Kiwis gasping for air.&nbsp; The duo slammed brilliant hundreds, breaking a plethora of records on the way to the humongous total. While Kohli departed after overtaking his idol Sachin Tendulkar in terms of ODI centuries, Iyer smashed some of the biggest sixes to record a fast-and-furious hundred on his home ground. KL Rahul then provided the finishing touches with a 20-ball 39 as India posted 397 - the highest-ever total in a World Cup knockout match.

Virat Kohli, immediately after getting to his record landmark, bowed down to his idol Sachin Tendulkar, whose record he had broken and who was watching from the stands.

Virat Kohli makes history, overtakes Sachin Tendulkar to become only cricketer with 50 ODI centuries

Virat Kohli, immediately after getting to his record 50th ODI hundred, bowed down to his idol Sachin Tendulkar, who was watching from the stands.

#ViratKohli #CWC23 #INDvsNZ

<h2>Virat Kohli, immediately after getting to his record landmark, bowed down to his idol Sachin Tendulkar, whose record he had broken and who was watching from the stands.</h2>

He has done it! Virat Kohli has made history in Mumbai! The King has gone past Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar to become the cricketer with most centuries in ODI cricket! Virat Kohli, who was tied with Sachin on 49 ODI tons, became the first cricketer ever to score 50 international centuries in 50-over cricket. Kohli also broke Sachin Tendulkar's record for most runs in a single World Cup edition, going past Sachin's 673 runs he achieved in the 2003 edition. And Kohli, 20 years later, has breached that mark. <a href="https://www.editorji.com/amp/web-stories/sports/virat-kohli-only-cricketer-indian-and-asian-star-in-pubity-sports-top-10-greatest-athletes-list-ronaldo-messi-included-1699513095747">Virat Kohli only Indian, Asian in World's Top 10 Greatest Athletes list</a> It was a very special moment for Kohli, who couldn't hold back his emotions after surpassing his idol at Sachin's home ground, the iconic Wankhede Stadium. In a gesture that defines Sachin Tendulkar's greatness, Virat Kohli, immediately after getting to his record landmark, bowed down to his idol, who was watching from the stands and applauding India's star batter. <a href="https://www.editorji.com/amp/web-stories/sports/cricket/from-kane-williamson-to-virat-kohli-some-seniors-of-the-game-who-may-return-to-the-2027-icc-cricket-world-cup-1700037420189">Cricket veterans who may return for Cricket World Cup 2027</a> The Indian stalwart got to the landmark in just his 291st ODI game. In comparison, Sachin Tendulkar scored his 49th ODI hundred in his 462nd ODI. The 34-year-old is now the undisputed King in the ODI format.
Kohli eventually finished his innings with a 113-ball 117 and walked off to a standing ovation from the crowd, a knock that will forever stay etched in their memories, a knock where they witnessed the great man create an astonishing world record. <a href="https://www.editorji.com/amp/web-stories/sports/cricket/hitman-rohit-sharma-breaks-world-record-in-india-vs-new-zealand-ind-vs-nz-cricket-world-cup-1700044687517">Hitman Rohit Sharma owning the Cricket World Cup in India</a>

The India vs New Zealand semifinal will be Rod Tucker's 100th ODI as an onfield umpire.

Umpires announced for India vs New Zealand, South Africa vs Australia semifinals in Cricket World Cup

The match officials for the upcoming Cricket World Cup semifinals have been revealed. 

Check out who will officiate in the India vs New Zealand clash.

#INDvsNZ #CWC23

<h2>The India vs New Zealand semifinal will be Rod Tucker's 100th ODI as an onfield umpire.</h2>

The match officials for the upcoming Cricket World Cup semifinals have been revealed. In the first semifinal clash between India and New Zealand, on-field umpires Rod Tucker and Richard Illingworth will take charge, supported by third umpire Joel Wilson, fourth umpire Adrian Holdstock, and match referee Andy Pycroft. This will be Tucker's 100th ODI as an onfield umpire, marking a significant milestone in his career.
The second semifinal, featuring Australia and South Africa, will see Nitin Menon and Richard Kettleborough as the onfield umpires. Nitin Menon is officiating in his first World Cup, while Kettleborough, who has recently completed a century of ODIs during this World Cup, will oversee his third consecutive World Cup semifinal. The match's other officials include Chris Gaffaney as the third umpire, Michael Gough as the fourth umpire, and Javagal Srinath as the match referee.
<a href="https://www.editorji.com/amp/web-stories/sports/cricket/indian-cricketers-in-icc-hall-of-fame-full-list-from-gavaskar-kapil-to-sachin-sehwag-1699865490838">Indian Cricketers who are part of ICC Hall of Fame</a>
Richard Illingworth, who will officiate in the India vs New Zealand match, has prior experience in World Cup semifinals, having served as an on-field umpire in the 2019 World Cup semifinal between India and New Zealand, which the Kiwis won by 18 runs. Joel Wilson, Adrian Holdstock, and Andy Pycroft complete the match officials' team for this game.
The first semifinal is scheduled for November 15 in Mumbai, while the second will be held on November 16 in Kolkata.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.editorji.com/amp/web-stories/sports/cricket/players-who-are-likely-to-get-an-ipl-contract-after-their-performances-in-icc-cricket-world-cup-1699690397107">Players likely to be awarded IPL contracts after World Cup performance</a>

India were 100/2 when fog enveloped the entire stadium in Dharamshala, bringing a halt to the proceedings.

India vs New Zealand: Bizarre stoppage in Dharamshala as fog stops play during IND vs NZ World Cup clash

In a bizarre weather interruption, the India vs New Zealand match in Dharamshala was halted due to an unexpected bout of fog.

#INDvsNZ #Dharamshala #CWC23

<h2>India were 100/2 when fog enveloped the entire stadium in Dharamshala, bringing a halt to the proceedings.</h2>

In an astonishing turn of events, the India vs New Zealand World Cup match in Dharamshala experienced an unusual weather interruption. Unlike the conventional culprits of rain or a waterlogged outfield, this time, it was an unexpected bout of fog that led to a temporary halt in the game.
The match had reached an intriguing point with India positioned at 100/2 in the 16th over. However, an unforeseen change in the weather altered the course of the game. The visibility on the field began to deteriorate rapidly due to the encroaching fog, prompting the umpires to stop play.
Initially, the umpires made an attempt to keep playing even as the mist started to shroud the entire stadium. However, the New Zealand players raised concerns about the deteriorating visibility, expressing their discomfort with the conditions. Following a deliberation involving the batters and the Kiwi players, the umpires made the unanimous call to suspend the match temporarily.
The players, however, returned after approximately a 10-11 minute delay once the visibility got better.
Also see: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/amp/web-stories/sports/cricket/shubman-gill-fastest-to-2000-odi-runs-overtakes-hashim-amla-india-vs-new-zealand-icc-cricket-world-cup-2023-ind-vs-nz-1697983758635">Shubman Gill becomes the fastest player to score 2000 ODI runs</a>

india vs new zealand

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