BCCI & NZC announce updated T20I squads for 4th & 5th T20Is

On Monday, January 26, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and New Zealand (NZC) named the updated India and New Zealand squads for the forthcoming fourth and fifth T20Is to be played in Visakhapatnam and Trivandrum, respectively.

Interestingly, India’s top-order batter Tilak Varma, who missed the initial three games of the series after testicular torsion surgery, resumed his physical training and is making steady progress at the BCCI CoE in Bengaluru.

However, Tilak would require additional time to regain full match fitness, and he wouldn’t be available to be a part of the Indian squad for the fourth and fifth T20Is against New Zealand. Shreyas Iyer will continue to be a part of the squad for the last two games of the series.

“India batter Tilak Varma has resumed physical training and is making steady progress with his rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence. However, he will require additional time to regain full match fitness and will not be available for the final two T20Is of the ongoing IDFC First Bank five-match T20I series,” the BCCI statement read.

“Tilak will link up with the squad in Mumbai once he has regained full match fitness on 3rd February, ahead of India’s warm-up match for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. The Men’s Selection Committee has recommended that Shreyas Iyer will continue as Tilak Varma’s replacement for the remaining matches,” the statement concluded.

Meanwhile, the NZC confirmed that the pacer Kristian Clarke and opening batter Tim Robinson have been released from the squad, with all-rounder Jimmy Neesham, pacer Lockie Ferguson, and wicketkeeper-batter Tim Seifert joining the side. Also, explosive opening batter Finn Allen, who was in good form for the Perth Scorchers in the BBL 2025-26 season, will join the squad on Thursday in Thiruvananthapuram.

India’s updated T20I squad: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (VC), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ishan Kishan (WK), Ravi Bishnoi

New Zealand’s updated T20I squad: Devon Conway, Tim Seifert (WK), Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (C), Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy. James Neesham, Michael Bracewell, Bevon Jacobs, Zakary Foulkes, Finn Allen (5th T20I), Lockie Ferguson.

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