Nagpur (Maharashtra) [India], January 20 (ANI): Ahead of the first T20I match against New Zealand, India captain Suryakumar Yadav has said that left-handed batter Ishan Kishan will bat in the pivotal number three position.

During the pre-match press conference on Tuesday, India T20I captain Suryakumar said that Kishan is part of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 squad and has been doing well in domestic cricket.

'Ishan Kishan will play at the number three position. He is part of the T20 World Cup team and has been doing well in domestic cricket. So I feel he deserves to play ahead. I think Ishan is our best bet at number 3,' he said.

The first clash of the five-match New Zealand series will be played at Nagpur on Wednesday.

In T20Is, Kishan has played four matches at the number three position. The 27-year-old amassed 114 runs at an average of 28.50, including two fifties.

The 27-year-old wicketkeeper-batter made his T20I debut against England in March 2023. Since then, Kishan has played 32 matches and scored 796 runs at an average of 25.67. The left-handed batter has smashed six half-centuries.

Kishan played his last T20I match against Australia in November 2023. Since then, he hasn't played for the national side in the shortest format.

Kishan was also the leading run-getter in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025-26 tournament. Kishan, who played for Jharkhand, had a vital role with the bat in helping his side to clinch the title.

The 27-year-old smashed 517 runs in 10 matches at a superb average of 57.44 and an astounding strike rate of 197.32. Kishan hammered two centuries and as many fifties in the tournament.

India squad for T20I series against New Zealand:

Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Shreyas Iyer (first three T20Is), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (vice captain), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Ravi Bishnoi. (ANI)