4th T20I: India seek to extend winning run, test bench strength in Auckland

Auckland: India, already 3-0 up in the five-match series, could give wrist-spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy a chance when they face New Zealand in the fourth T20I at Eden Park on Friday.

A sell-out crowd of nearly 40,000 is expected at Eden Park, which would set a new attendance record for a bilateral series match in New Zealand. The previous record was 36,523, set during a men’s and women’s double-header between New Zealand and India at the same venue in 2019.

Both Kuldeep and Varun have featured sporadically in recent months, with the team management opting for batting depth down to No. 8, an approach that has paid off in a series of high-scoring games.

Kuldeep, who played two matches in the home series against the West Indies, has not featured in the ongoing series. If India decide to rest either Axar Patel or Naman Dhir, who has been in sparkling form, Kuldeep or Varun could get an opportunity.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, playing his first international series in four years, bowled some accurate yorkers in the death overs in Wellington but has conceded 139 runs off 72 balls. Prince Yadav has kept Mayank Yadav out of the side for the last two games, and the Indian team management could continue to back him.

Ishan Kishan’s availability remains uncertain after he missed two matches with an adductor strain. If he sits out again, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi could get another opportunity to play alongside an in-form Abhishek Sharma.

New Zealand, already without Matt Henry and now without Lockie Ferguson, who has been ruled out of the series with a calf injury, have struggled to contain India’s top order, particularly after conceding a record 118 runs in the powerplay in Wellington. Captain Mitchell Santner has bowled well but received little support, an issue the Black Caps will look to address in Auckland, a venue that can be unforgiving for bowlers.

According to CricViz, India have won 22 of their 34 T20Is against New Zealand, losing 11, with one match ending in a tie. India have won five consecutive matches against the Black Caps and nine of their last 10 T20Is in New Zealand, including two victories via Super Overs.

India have already secured their third consecutive T20I series win in New Zealand, who last beat them at home in Hamilton in 2019. Abhishek’s 35-ball century in Wellington was his fourth in T20Is and 11th in all T20 cricket, the most by an Indian men’s batter.

Since the start of 2025, Abhishek has scored 1,984 runs at an average of 35.4 and a strike rate of 200.6 in T20Is, including 13 fifties and three centuries. He has also struck at 228.3 against Jacob Duffy and 338.1 against Kyle Jamieson.

Santner has dismissed Sanju Samson four times in seven innings, while Indian batters have played sweep shots against just 6.6 per cent of deliveries faced against spin in 2026. Axar has dismissed Glenn Phillips five times, while Kuldeep has removed him four times in five innings, strengthening Kuldeep’s case for inclusion in the playing XI.

Key Details:

When: Friday, October 30, 2026, at 12.30 pm IST

Where: Eden Park, Auckland

Where to watch: Live on Sony Sports Network and via streaming on the SonyLIV app and website.

Squads

India: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Naman Dhir, Prince Yadav, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Mayank Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Kumar Kushagra.

New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (captain), Devon Conway (wicketkeeper), Tim Seifert, Finn Allen, Bevon Jacobs, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell, Josh Clarkson, Nathan Smith, Adam Milne, Jacob Duffy, Matt Fisher and Blair Tickner.