Ishan Kishan ruled out of 2nd T20I, opens possibility of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi return

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Ishan Kishan has been ruled out of India's second T20I against New Zealand, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said on Friday. The board said that Kishan has suffered a "low grade right adductor strain". Kishan's injury was the chief reason why India shuffled their batting order during the first T20I, with Tilak Varma walking in at No.3 position which the former usually occupies.

"Ishan Kishan is ruled out of the second T20I against New Zealand due to a , which he sustained during the first T20I of the series. The BCCI Medical Team is monitoring his progress," said the BCCI in a post on X.

Earlier, India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak had told reporters that the change in the batting order had been forced by an injury to Kishan. "Ishan Kishan has a niggle in his groin," Kotak had said. "I know there was speculation [about the change in the batting order] but it wasn't a change as such. It was because of the groin strain [to Kishan]. I think he is unlikely for one game."

Kishan's injury possibly opens the door for teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to find a place in the eleven for the second T20I. Captain Shreyas Iyer had said before the first T20I that the 15-year-old, who has usually played as an opener, will have to wait for his chances due to the rich vein of form that India's current top two, Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson, are in. India had earlier dropped Samson to No.3 to accomodate Sooryavanshi at the top of the order during the Asian Games, where they won gold. It remains to be seen if they will do the same if they replace Kishan with Sooryavanshi.

India lead the five-match series 1-0, having won the first T20I by four wickets. Samson was player of the match for his 67 in 33 balls as India chased down a target of 226.