Christchurch: The wait is finally over for millions of Indian cricket fans. Rising superstar Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is set to don the blue jersey once again, marking his return to the Indian playing XI for the second T20 International against New Zealand.
The announcement came after Indian captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and elected to bowl first at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Saturday. Sooryavanshi has been drafted into the side as a replacement for wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan, who was ruled out of the fixture due to an injury.
The development was largely anticipated after India’s batting coach, Sitanshu Kotak, disclosed Kishan’s injury status on the eve of the match. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) subsequently issued a formal confirmation, paving the way for the young prodigy’s inclusion.
Sooryavanshi makes his comeback after missing six consecutive matches. His last outing in national colours was during the Asian Games 2026 final against Pakistan on October 3. However, in a surprising tactical shift, the traditional opener will not take his usual spot at the top of the order. The opening duties will be retained by Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma, meaning Sooryavanshi will slot in at number three. Notably, this marks the first instance in his career—from the Indian Premier League to international cricket—where he will bat outside an opening position.
The Indian management has made two strategic changes to their lineup for this crucial encounter. Alongside Sooryavanshi, fast bowler Prince Yadav returns to the fold, replacing fellow pacer Mayank Yadav who featured in the previous game.
On the other side, the Mitchell Santner-led New Zealand squad has also made a single modification to their playing XI. Fast bowler Jacob Duffy has been brought in to replace Adam Milne as the hosts aim to set a formidable total after being asked to bat first.
India Playing XI: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Shreyas Iyer (c), Tilak Varma, Nitish Reddy, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, and Prince Yadav.
New Zealand Playing XI: Tim Seifert, Finn Allen, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Bevan Jacobs, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (c), Nathan Smith, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy, and Lockie Ferguson.