India & New Zealand’s updated T20I squads announced for last two games

On Monday, January 26, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that the Indian top-order batter Tilak Varma resumed his physical training and is making steady progress at the BCCI CoE in Bengaluru.

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However, the BCCI’s official statement revealed that Tilak would require additional time to regain full match fitness, and for the same reason, he wouldn’t be available for the fourth and fifth T20Is against New Zealand.

“India batter Tilak Varma has resumed physical training and is making steady progress with his rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence. However, he will require additional time to regain full match fitness and will not be available for the final two T20Is of the ongoing IDFC First Bank five-match T20I series,” the BCCI statement read.

“Tilak will link up with the squad in Mumbai once he has regained full match fitness on 3rd February, ahead of India’s warm-up match for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. The Men’s Selection Committee has recommended that Shreyas Iyer will continue as Tilak Varma’s replacement for the remaining matches,” the statement concluded.

On the other hand, the New Zealand Cricket (NZC) confirmed that the fast bowler Kristian Clarke and opening batter Tim Robinson were released from the squad on Monday. Meanwhile, all-rounder Jimmy Neesham, pacer Lockie Ferguson, and wicketkeeper-batter Tim Seifert joined the camp for the final two matches of the series. Also, Finn Allen, who was in exceptional form in the BBL 2025-26 season, will join the squad on Thursday in Thiruvananthapuram for the final T20I.

India’s updated T20I squad: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (VC), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ishan Kishan (WK), Ravi Bishnoi

New Zealand’s updated T20I squad: Devon Conway, Tim Seifert (WK), Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (C), Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy. James Neesham, Michael Bracewell, Bevon Jacobs, Zakary Foulkes, Finn Allen (5th T20I), Lockie Ferguson.

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