Top News

India's squad for the forthcoming home T20I series against New Zealand has been reinforced with the return of star batter Shreyas Iyer. The Kiwis will kick off their five-match T20I series with the Men in Blue on Wednesday, January 21.

Shreyas, who had been absent from the T20I scene for some time, is given the nod in place of the now-injured Tilak Varma. He is set to participate in the first three matches since Tilak had to undergo an operation for abdominal pain which was so acute that it forced him off the field.

It is worth noting that Shreyas’s last T20I appearance was in 2023 against Australia. He made a comeback to the game after getting over a spleen injury sustained during the Australia tour and is currently part of the ongoing three-match ODI series versus New Zealand.

Tilak Varma will not take part in the first three T20Is with New Zealand but he is expected to come back for the last two matches and has also been included in the squad for T20 World Cup 2026.

Otherwise, if he is not able to recover and regain his fitness in time, then Shreyas Iyer is a perfect backup for the global event. In case of injury problems, India can always rely on a proven and experienced batsman who can directly slot into the playing XI without any hassles. Having Shreyas play some matches and getting him game time before the T20 World Cup 2026 will not only keep him fit but also in a good rhythm for the tournament.

Two years have passed since Shreyas Iyer was last seen in the T20I lineup. Nevertheless, he is aware of the tricks to not just survive but also to flourish in this format, as demonstrated in IPL 2025. He was the captain of Punjab Kings (PBKS), who shone through and was a major contributor to their getting into the finals.

With 604 runs in 17 matches at an average of 50.33 and a strike rate of 175.07, he was the leading batsman for PBKS. The right-hander had also scored six fifty-uppers and made a top score of 97 not out. Shreyas’ IPL career stats are nothing short of astonishing and they demonstrate his usefulness as a reliable middle-order batsman in T20 cricket. He has 3731 runs at a 34.22 average and a 133.34 strike rate with 27 fifties in 133 matches.

In this format, Shreyas Iyer is the one who can take on the role of Tilak Varma in the middle order perfectly. Executing the same role is possible for the right-hander. He is a skilled player against spin and builds the innings slowly while taking the pressure off.

The Indian batsman can also move to a higher gear if necessary and make big shots. This means that the batting template of India does not change in terms of roles and skill sets. In T20Is, Shreyas has scored a total of 1104 runs from 47 innings with a batting average of 30.66 and a strike rate of 136.12, which includes eight half-centuries.