Kishan to bat at No. 3 keeping T20 World Cup in mind, Suryakumar says

Ishan Kishan will take the injured Tilak Varma's place in India's line-up in the first T20I against New Zealand on Wednesday. Confirming this in the captain's press conference in Nagpur, Suryakumar Yadav said India were playing Kishan ahead of Shreyas Iyer, the other candidate for the role, keeping preparations for the T20 World Cup in mind.

Kishan is part of India's squad for that tournament, which begins on February 7, as back-up wicketkeeper. Iyer, selected for the first three T20Is against New Zealand in Tilak's absence, is not.

Suryakumar indicated that the decision may have gone another way if India had been looking to replace a batter in the lower middle order rather than the upper middle order.

"Ishan will bat at No. 3, since he is in our World Cup team, and we picked him first, so it's his responsibility and his turn to play, and he's not played for India for a long time," Suryakumar said. "He's been doing well in domestic cricket, and he's not played for the Indian team for a year or year-and-a-half, and since we've picked him in the World Cup squad, I feel he deserves to play. If it was a question of No. 4 or 5, we may have thought differently, but unfortunately Tilak isn't there, and I think Ishan is the best bet at No. 3."

Kishan hasn't played for India since the T20I series against Australia in November 2023. He has 796 runs in 32 T20Is at an average of 25.67 and strike rate of 124.37, with only one of his 32 innings having come outside the top three.

There is a chance he may have to bat at No. 4 on Wednesday, though, with Suryakumar reiterating India's long-standing philosophy of flexible batting positions outside the two openers. India have had a right-left combination at the top for much of the period since the last T20 World Cup in 2024, with Suryakumar tending to come in at No. 3 if the right-hand opener is dismissed first and Tilak coming in if the left-hand opener falls first. Kishan, left-handed like Tilak, may play a similar role.

"I've batted at both the positions for India, No. 3 and No. 4," Suryakumar said. "I have slightly better numbers at No. 4. They are also good at No. 3. But we are flexible with that. We'll see what the situation is when we play a game. If we have to send a right-hander, then I'll walk in, otherwise Tilak has been doing really well at No. 3."

Suryakumar's own form, leading up to his 100th T20I on Wednesday, has been under the scanner. He has gone 22 T20I innings without a fifty, and has averaged 12.84 in this period.

When asked about his form over recent months, Suryakumar has often said he's not out of form but out of runs. He expressed the same belief again on Tuesday.

"I've been batting really well, and also, talking about the runs, it will definitely come, but at the same time I can't do things differently. I don't want to change my identity. What has given me success in the past 3-4 years, I would like to bat the same way, and then if performance comes, I'll take it. If it doesn't come, I'll go back to the drawing board, practise again, work hard, and come back stronger."

When asked about his cheerful on-field demeanour despite his lean run, Suryakumar said this was a consequence of playing a team sport and of having the responsibility of captaincy.

"If this was [an individual] sport, if I was playing table tennis or lawn tennis, I would have worried about it a lot, definitely, but this is a team sport," he said. "My first responsibility is how the team is doing. I'm happy if the team is doing well, if it's winning, and it's good if I'm performing, and if I'm not, it's okay - it happens sometimes, it doesn't happen sometimes.

"At the same time I have to look after the other 14 players also, there are support staff as well. I've been appointed as leader of everyone. If I'm responsible for everyone, then I have to think hard about the team, and there's no room for personal milestones. It's a team sport, everyone has to step up, everyone has to do well, and be happy for each other. I think that is the most important thing in a team atmosphere, and that's what I like to [focus on]."