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India Predicted Playing Xi Vs New Zealand 4Th T20i 2026

India Predicted Playing XI vs New Zealand – 4th T20I, 2026

Arjun Bhalla

India Predicted Playing XI vs New Zealand | PC- AFP

The caravan has moved to the north of New Zealand to Auckland's Eden Park for the fourth T20I match between India and the Blackcaps on Friday evening.

In the previous outing, the gung-ho pair of Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi shattered multiple records as India made a mockery of a 199-run chase, hunting it down in a record 13.2 overs.

In this article, we will analyse the changes to be made to the India Playing XI vs New Zealand for the 4th T20I at Auckland.

Top Order: Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan

The form Abhishek Sharma is showing in the ongoing IND vs NZ T20Is, he should be the first name written on the team sheet. He will be coming into this fixture with after smashing a 33-ball century the other night.

Sanju Samson, not Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, will likely open the innings in the India Playing XI vs New Zealand for the 4th T20I, as Ishan Kishan has reportedly got fit in time. Alas for the teenager, but the team management would bank on their experienced batters over Sooryavanshi, who scored a 19-ball 45 in the previous game.

"Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Heads Out": Ashwin On India's XI vs New Zealand If Ishan Kishan Returns

Middle Order & All-Rounders: Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Varma, Naman Dhir, Nitish Kumar Reddy

Shreyas Iyer has been out of form in the IND vs NZ T20Is, scoring just 54 runs in three innings. Although he had a great start to the series, the Indian captain has looked like a weak link in the IND Playing XI vs NZ. Iyer will want to prove his critics wrong in the fourth T20I.

Tilak Varma didn't get to bat for too long in the last game, but he played a blinder in the second match of the series. The Indian vice-captain has been a key linchpin of this middle order.

In the absence of the prolific Hardik Pandya, Team India is forced to field Naman Dhir and Nitish Kumar Reddy. The experiment is paying off at the moment. However, what the team management would want is to have Dhir bowl some more overs, while Reddy getting the time to bat a bit more.

Bowlers: Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav

Although Axar Patel was gone for plenty of runs, he will be backed to be in the IND Playing XI vs NZ for the 4th T20I, given the spinning all-rounder gives an additional batting option. So far, he has taken just two wickets after three outings.

The comeback for Bhuvneshwar Kumar hasn't been a merry one for the experienced speedster. However, like Axar, he's also scored plenty of runs and taken just one wicket in his comeback series. That said, Bhuvi might be retained in the India Playing XI vs New Zealand for the 4th T20I, as the team management would look to use him for the remaining matches as well.

Arshdeep Singh has taken four wickets in three innings. The numbers might show a different story, but he has been India's best bowler so far in the series.

Prince Yadav returned to the starting 11 in the IND vs NZ 2nd T20I. He returned with figures of 0 for 44, but he bowled a brilliant final over of the innings. He might get retained for the upcoming fixture at Eden Park.