Team India has drafted Shreyas Iyer and Ravi Bishnoi into their T20I squad for the upcoming home series against New Zealand, following injury setbacks to Tilak Varma and Washington Sundar.

Shreyas has been added to the squad for the first three T20Is on January 21, 23 and 25, replacing Tilak Varma, who is expected to miss only the opening leg of the five-match series. Washington Sundar, however, has been ruled out of all five matches after scans confirmed a side strain.

The all-rounder has been advised a short period of rest before reporting to the BCCI’s Center of Excellence in Bengaluru for further assessment and rehabilitation.

The injuries come at a concerning time for India, with the Men’s T20 World Cup, scheduled to be held at home and in Sri Lanka, set to begin in less than a month.

India’s updated T20I Squad against New Zealand

Suryakumar Yadav (C), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Shreyas Iyer (first three T20Is), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (VC), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ishan Kishan (WK), Ravi Bishnoi.

Shreyas Iyer makes a return to India’s T20I plans for the first time since December 2023, having last featured against Australia in Bengaluru. The middle-order batter enjoyed a stellar IPL 2025, scoring 604 runs at a strike rate of 175.07 and leading Punjab Kings to the final.

Ravi Bishnoi, meanwhile, last played a T20I in January 2025 against England at home. The leg-spinner has featured in 42 T20Is, claiming 61 wickets, and adds depth to India’s spin attack ahead of a packed international calendar.