Suryakumar confirms Ishan Kishan at No.3, plays down his own lack of runs

India captain Suryakumar Yadav confirmed that Ishan Kishan will bat at No. 3 in the first T20I against New Zealand in Nagpur. Kishan, who last played for India in November 2023, earned his recall to the T20 World Cup squad after a standout domestic season, scoring 517 runs in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, including a century in the final.

With Tilak Varma absent for the first three matches, India chose Kishan over Shreyas Iyer for the role. Suryakumar stated, "Ishan will play third. Because he's in our World Cup team, we have picked him first. So, it's his responsibility and he has to play. He has been doing well in domestic cricket."

While the No. 3 spot is settled, India's No. 4 position remains a concern. Suryakumar himself enters the series amid a lean patch, with just 244 runs in his last 22 innings at an average of 12.84. However, he downplayed concerns, emphasizing his net form and commitment to his batting identity.

"I have 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," he said. He reiterated that he is out of runs, not out of form, and aims to replicate the success that made him one of the world's most feared T20 batters, scoring 2544 runs in 71 innings. "If it doesn't come, then I will go back to the drawing board, practise again, work hard and come back stronger."

As captain, Suryakumar shifted focus to team responsibilities over personal performance. "My first responsibility is to know how the team is doing. Is the team doing well? Is the team winning? So, I am happy to do that. And if I perform well in that, then it's fine. If not, then it's okay. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't."

He added, "I think there is no personal milestone. It's a team sport. Everyone has to step up. Everyone has to do well. Everyone has to be happy for each other. I think that is the most important thing in a team atmosphere."