Overview
- Ishan Kishan ended the New Zealand T20I series with 215 runs in four innings, capped by a century in the Jan. 31 finale at Thiruvananthapuram.
- Captain Suryakumar Yadav said wicketkeeping was pre-planned for the series, with Samson assigned three games and Kishan two, and confirmed Kishan missed one outing due to a niggle.
- Sanju Samson struggled for returns, scoring 46 runs across five innings, keeping pressure on his opening spot.
- Irfan Pathan credited selectors for recalling Kishan even after dropping Shubman Gill, while Robin Uthappa urged management to persist with Samson and consider Kishan at No. 3 until Tilak Varma is fully fit.
- Suryakumar stated the final decision on the second opener will come before India’s Feb. 7 World Cup opener, with media predicted XIs leaning toward Kishan and Tilak Varma’s fitness still a selection factor.