IND vs NZ: Why India Played Five Bowlers and Left Out Shreyas Iyer — Captain Suryakumar Yadav Explains

India’s team selection for the fourth T20I against New Zealand sparked debate after the hosts took the field with just six specialist batters and opted for a five-bowler combination. Following the 50-run defeat at the ACA–VDCA Cricket Stadium, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav opened up on the rationale behind the strategy and the decision to leave out Shreyas Iyer.

New Zealand capitalised on the conditions to post a formidable 215 for 7 after being put in to bat. India, despite showing intent in the chase, were bowled out for 165, with the lack of batting depth becoming a talking point.

Explaining the team composition, Suryakumar said the decision was a conscious one, aimed at preparing the squad for high-pressure situations ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. With Ishan Kishan sidelined due to injury, pacer Arshdeep Singh was included in the playing XI, resulting in a lineup with five frontline bowlers.

“I think we deliberately played with six batters today,” Suryakumar said after the match. “We wanted to have five proper bowlers and challenge ourselves. For example, if we are chasing 180 or 200 runs and lose two or three early wickets, we wanted to see how the team reacts. These are situations we want to be ready for. It’s absolutely fine — we’re learning.”

The Indian skipper also addressed the absence of Shreyas Iyer, making it clear that selection was driven by long-term planning rather than short-term results. “Our focus is to give opportunities to players who are part of the T20 World Cup plans. Otherwise, we could have played a few other players as well,” he said.

Suryakumar also defended his decision to bowl first after winning the toss, despite the move backfiring on the night. He explained that the idea was to test the batting unit under pressure while chasing a big total, especially in conditions where dew was expected to play a role.

“We chose to chase because we’ve been batting well while setting targets, and I wanted the players to experience pressure while chasing a big score with wickets falling,” he said. “There was a lot of dew later on. If one or two solid partnerships had come together — like the way Shivam Dube batted — the result could have been different.”

Despite the defeat, Suryakumar remained positive, stressing that such matches provide valuable lessons. “We lost by around 50 runs, but in run chases like these, even one good partnership can completely change the outcome. For us, this was a good challenge and a good learning experience,” he concluded.

India continue to lead the five-match T20I series 3–1 and will look to apply those lessons in the final encounter as preparations for the World Cup intensify.