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After Ishan Kishan topped the charts as the highest run-scorer in this year's Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, racking up 517 runs in 10 matches with an impressive average of 57, it only made sense to bring him back into the T20I squad. So, after nearly two years away, he finally got his shot in the IND vs NZ series. But how did the southpaw respond to the selectors' faith in him? 

He managed to score just 8 runs off 5 balls, hitting a couple of boundaries before making his exit. It was a brief 10-minute appearance at the crease, in what could have been a pivotal moment for his career. He attempted to send a slower ball from Jacob Duffy over the covers but ended up handing a straightforward catch to Mark Chapman. 

All the hard work he put in over the past year was overshadowed by a rush to be overly aggressive. While there’s no one way to approach a T20I, a touch of caution in his first match back after such a long break could have helped settle his nerves and allowed him to make a real impact. 

With the T20 World Cup just over two weeks away, India still seems uncertain about their wicketkeeper choice. Ishan Kishan is in the running, but so is Sanju Samson.

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The 27-year-old is directly competing with the Kerala player for a spot in the World Cup playing XI. If he wants to secure his place, he’ll need to make some quick adjustments, or the management might not hesitate to go with Sanju. In 33 innings, Sanju has scored 804 runs, averaging 25 with a strike rate of 124. 

However, this decision won’t be straightforward, as Sanju has been struggling with his form. In his last 12 T20I innings, he’s only managed to score 232 runs at an average of 19 and a strike rate of 127.

In 2025, his performance during the powerplay has been particularly poor, with just 88 runs off 63 balls at an average of 14. This means he’s getting out early, which is why those big scores have been hard to come by.