India's Predicted XI For 4th T20I: Ishan Kishan Still Doubtful, Varun Chakravarthy Waits For Opening

Ishan Kishan is still a doubt for India’s fourth T20I against New Zealand in Auckland on Friday, October 30, after sitting out the last two games with a low-grade right adductor strain. He picked up the injury in the series opener at Hagley Oval on October 22 and has not featured since.

BCCI’s most recent update came before the Wellington match, when Kishan was ruled out again for a second straight game. Bowling coach Morne Morkel said the call was precautionary, adding that Kishan was training with the squad and recovering as expected.

No new bulletin has arrived since then, so Kishan is still technically in the selection mix even if he remains an unlikely pick in practice. With the series already wrapped up, India have little incentive to hurry back a batter who has been out for a week.

Ranking Fallout

Kishan’s time away has already had a ranking consequence. Abhishek Sharma took back the No. 1 spot in the ICC men’s T20I batting rankings on Wednesday, dislodging Kishan after his 113 off 38 balls in Wellington.

Auckland Selection Puzzle

India’s order has shifted in Kishan’s absence. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi replaced him for the second T20I and has since been promoted to open with Abhishek Sharma, which has pushed Sanju Samson down to No. 3.

That move has stuck. Sooryavanshi made 45 off 19 balls in Wellington while the openers added 118 inside the powerplay, the highest six-over total in men’s T20I history, and India are unlikely to split the pair two days later.

The middle order looks likelier to absorb any change, and Naman Dhir at No. 6 is the most exposed option there, after having little to do beyond hitting the winning runs in two chases. Kishan could fill that role, or India could save him for the Hamilton finale instead.

Spin Options In Auckland

India do have room to try things. With the series already won and the last two games carrying no stakes, this is the sort of window when a side can look at players who have not yet had a run.

Varun Chakravarthy is back in the squad after a side strain but has not played once, while Kuldeep Yadav has spent all three matches on the bench. The argument for change is as much about opportunity as it is about rotation.

New Zealand have put up 225, 180 and 198 in the three games, and no Indian bowler has finished with an economy rate below nine. Bhuvneshwar Kumar has gone at 11.58 in his 12 overs since returning after four years.

Eden Park will challenge any spinner. Its straight boundaries are the shortest in world cricket, and the square boundaries are barely 55 metres long. That is exactly why the exercise matters: a spinner who can keep control there is worth tracking before the next World Cup cycle.

As for Kishan, there is no need to rush him. He is training, the absence has been treated as precautionary throughout, and a batter coming back from an adductor strain is better served by full recovery than by two dead rubbers.

India's Predicted XI For 4th T20I Against New Zealand

Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson (wk), Shreyas Iyer (c), Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh and Prince Yadav