Ishan Kishan ruled out of second T20I against New Zealand with adductor strain

Wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan has been ruled out of India's second T20I against New Zealand on Saturday due to a low-grade right adductor strain. The BCCI medical team is monitoring his progress after the injury occurred during the series opener at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.

India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak confirmed that Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is among the options to replace Kishan if the wicketkeeper does not recover in time. The 15-year-old has already made his senior international debut and was part of India's gold-medal-winning team at the 2026 Asian Games. Kotak said Sooryavanshi is one of the strongest contenders for selection.

India won the first T20I by four wickets after chasing down New Zealand's 225 for 4. Captain Shreyas Iyer had previously indicated that Sooryavanshi would need to wait for opportunities behind established openers Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson.