PBKS star and former ICC No.1 T20I spinner return to India's T20I squad vs New Zealand

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has added the captain of the defending champions, Punjab Kings from the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, Shreyas Iyer, along with their one-time ICC number one T20I spinner, Ravi Bishnoi, in the T20I squad for the upcoming five encounters at home against New Zealand, beginning on January 21 in Nagpur. 

Bishnoi has been drafted into the Indiansquad as a replacement for Washington Sundar, who has been ruled out of the series with a side strain that he picked up during the opening ODI against the Black Caps in Vadodara. Meanwhile, Ayer replaces injured Tilak Varma, who has been out of the series for the first three games.

See Also: Watch: Steve Smith smashes Nathan McAndrew for 107-meter six during BBL 2025/26

Sundar underwent scans after reporting an accurate onset of discomfort in his lower rib area while bowling during the first ODI. This was followed by an in-person consultation with an expert, as he has been diagnosed with a side strain and has been advised rest for a few days, following which he will report to the BCCI Center of Excellence in Bengaluru for further management of the injury. 

Shreyas Iyer and Ravi Bishnoi added to India's T20I squad 

Iyer, whose last T20I for the national side came nearly three years ago, has been at the top in the shortest format as he notched up 600 and four runs in IPL 2005 in 17 innings at an average of over fifty and a strike rate of more than 175, thanks to his six half-centuries at the best code of unbeaten 97 runs.

Bishnoi, who has picked up 61 wickets in 42 T20I matches for India at an economy rate of 7.35, featured in a 20-over game previously at the start of last year and the Asia Cup towards the end of the year. For the Lucknow Super Giants in the previous season of the IPL, he picked up nine wickets but went for an economy rate of nearly 11.

The opening T20I of the series against the Blackcaps will be played at Nagpur before the national sides make their way to Raipur, Guwahati, Visakhapatnam, and Thiruvattanampudam.