India’s cricket team has suffered a significant blow ahead of the third T20 match against New Zealand, scheduled for October 27, 2026. Ishan Kishan, who missed the second T20 due to injury, has now been confirmed as unavailable for the upcoming game as well.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced Kishan’s status on their social media platform, X. They stated, “Ishan Kishan is recovering well from a minor injury to his right thigh (low-grade adductor strain). He sustained this injury during the first T20 International match against New Zealand. As he is not yet fully fit to play, he will miss the third T20 match in Wellington on October 27, 2026. The BCCI medical team is monitoring his recovery. Kumar Kushagra will remain with the team for the third T20 match.”
In Kishan’s absence, Vaibhav Surya was included in the playing eleven for the second T20, but his performance was underwhelming. He scored just 4 runs off 8 balls before getting out. Despite this, the 15-year-old may retain his spot in the lineup for the third T20.
The Indian team showcased impressive form in the second T20, successfully chasing down a target of 181 runs set by New Zealand with one ball to spare, losing 6 wickets in the process. Tilak Varma was a standout performer, scoring a blistering 51 runs off just 26 balls. Naman Dheer contributed with 31 runs off 17 balls, while Nitish Kumar Reddy added an unbeaten 26 runs from 13 balls, all contributing to India’s victory. With this win, India leads the five-match T20 series 2-0.