In a strategic move at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav won the toss and elected to field first against New Zealand in the fourth T20 International. This decision came as India entered the match with significant momentum, having already secured the five-match series with a commanding 3-0 lead from the opening three games.
Suryakumar Yadav's Toss Decision and Team Strategy
At the toss, Suryakumar Yadav explained his reasoning behind choosing to bowl first. "We're going to bowl first. It looks like a good wicket, and we'll get a chance to practise here later," he stated. "There was a lot of dew last night and today it's a little humid as well, so we feel that in the second innings the ball will come onto the bat nicely."
The captain emphasized the importance of maintaining positive habits and playing entertaining cricket. "I think the important thing is to repeat the good habits we've built over the past year, not just in this series. We want to keep doing the good things we've been doing, learn from the last game, and go out there, enjoy ourselves, play the format the way it's meant to be played, and entertain the people who've come here," Suryakumar added, praising the beautiful ground and lovely crowd in Visakhapatnam.
Team Changes and Player Updates
Suryakumar Yadav announced a significant change to the playing XI, revealing that Arshdeep Singh has replaced Ishan Kishan, who picked up a niggle in the previous match. "Arshdeep comes in for Ishan Kishan, who picked up a niggle in the last game. Axar Patel still needs a bit more time, so hopefully we'll see him in the next game," the captain explained.
He further elaborated on team expectations: "The batters will need to take a bit more responsibility, but at the same time not shy away from playing with fearless intent. We've got five good bowling options today, so we'll see how it goes."
Ishan Kishan's Impact and Recent Form
Ishan Kishan's absence is notable given his impressive performance throughout the series. The left-handed batsman has been in fine touch during the contest, playing a crucial role in helping India secure an unassailable lead. He currently stands as the fourth-highest run-scorer in the series, having accumulated 112 runs from three T20Is at a remarkable strike rate of 224.00 and an average of 37.33.
Kishan's journey in this series has been particularly impressive:
- After managing just eight runs in the opening match, he bounced back spectacularly with a scintillating 32-ball 76 in the second T20I, helping India chase down a 209-run target in only 15.2 overs.
- He followed this with a brisk 28 off 13 deliveries in the third game, setting the tone for another successful chase of 154 runs, completed in just 15 overs.
Prior to his return to the national setup for this series, Kishan had last featured in a T20I in 2023 against Australia. His recent domestic form has also been outstanding, having enjoyed a memorable Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025/26 season with Jharkhand, where he guided the side to their maiden SMAT title.
Playing XIs for Both Teams
The teams fielded the following lineups for the fourth T20I in Visakhapatnam:
New Zealand Playing XI:
- Tim Seifert (wicketkeeper)
- Devon Conway
- Rachin Ravindra
- Glenn Phillips
- Mark Chapman
- Daryl Mitchell
- Mitchell Santner (captain)
- Zakary Foulkes
- Matt Henry
- Ish Sodhi
- Jacob Duffy
India Playing XI:
- Abhishek Sharma
- Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper)
- Suryakumar Yadav (captain)
- Rinku Singh
- Hardik Pandya
- Shivam Dube
- Harshit Rana
- Ravi Bishnoi
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Arshdeep Singh
- Jasprit Bumrah
With the series already decided, this match provides an opportunity for both teams to experiment and build momentum as they look ahead to future contests. The Indian team, in particular, aims to continue their winning ways while giving opportunities to different players in the squad.
