India have made key changes to their T20I squad ahead of the five-match home series against New Zealand, with Shreyas Iyer earning a recall while Washington Sundar has been ruled out due to injury. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed the updates on Friday, January 16.
Sundar picked up a side strain while bowling in the first ODI against New Zealand at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara on January 11. Following scans and medical consultation, the all-rounder has been advised rest and will report to the BCCI Centre of Excellence for further rehabilitation. As a result, he will miss the entire T20I series, with leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi named as his replacement.
Iyer’s inclusion marks his first appearance in India’s T20I setup since the 2023 series against Australia. The right-hander had been left out just before the T20 World Cup 2024 but has since revived his credentials in the shortest format. He led Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL title in 2024 and followed it up with a runners-up finish as Punjab Kings captain in the 2025 season. Across the last year, Iyer amassed 604 runs at an impressive strike rate of 175.
The BCCI also clarified that Iyer will feature in the squad for the first three T20Is as a replacement for Tilak Varma. The young left-hander was recently hospitalised after experiencing acute testicular pain while representing Hyderabad in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. He underwent surgery earlier this week, has since been discharged, and is reported to be recovering well.
With the T20 World Cup 2026 approaching rapidly, Iyer’s return is seen as part of India’s contingency planning in case of injuries during the tournament. His proven ability to dominate spin bowling in Indian conditions could be a valuable asset if the team requires reinforcements.
However, despite the recall, it remains uncertain whether Iyer will break into India’s final World Cup plans, as the 15-member squad for the global event has already been announced.
India’s Updated T20I Squad vs New Zealand
- Suryakumar Yadav (Captain)
- Abhishek Sharma
- Sanju Samson (Wicketkeeper)
- Shreyas Iyer (first three T20Is)
- Hardik Pandya
- Shivam Dube
- Axar Patel (Vice-captain)
- Rinku Singh
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Harshit Rana
- Arshdeep Singh
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Varun Chakaravarthy
- Ishan Kishan (Wicketkeeper)
- Ravi Bishnoi