New Zealand go again in daring quest to clip India's batting wings
India have the series pocketed, but the desire to hit big and maintain the winning run is unlikely to waver
India may have travelled the world lately, had stamps all over their passports and experienced jet lag, all while playing non-stop cricket, but none of that stopped them from pocketing the New Zealand series at the earliest opportunity.
"We can't give excuses," said Tilak Varma, addressing all the flights taken, the quick turnarounds and the accompanying fatigue. He and the other India batters have walked the talk on three evenings, pulling off all chases. Their most convincing one came just two days ago in Wellington where 198 was surmounted with 40 balls to spare. The T20 World Cup holders continue to strut about with an enviable batting MO: you bowl, we hit.
New Zealand know all about that. Before this series, they felt the heat in January in India in a bilateral series and then went through the excruciating experience in the World Cup final, where India amassed 255. His own batters have given Mitchell Santner a cause for optimism heading to the fourth game of the series, but his bowlers need thicker skin and to brace themselves for more jaw-dropping batting possibilities from the opposition in Eden Park - a venue with shorter boundary dimensions.
"We have to find ways," Santner said about stopping India's top-order juggernaut. It's his team's turn to walk the talk over the next three days if they are to avoid ending on the wrong side of a 5-0 series sweep.
When: India vs New Zealand, 4th T20I, October 30, 2026, 12:30 PM IST, 8:00 PM Local time
Where: Eden Park, Auckland
What to expect: What else but big runs? Both teams are capable, the conditions are cooperative and boundaries are shorter. There's been a successful chase of 245 at this venue (in 2018) but the last T20I here in March was headlined by the bowlers.
Team News:
ভারত
Shreyas Iyer called it a 'tactical change' when India swapped out Mayank Yadav for Prince Yadav. Having already pocketed the series, he could offer Mayank another chance in the next two fixtures.
Probable XI: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Shreyas Iyer (c), Tilak Varma, Naman Dhir, Nitish Reddy, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Prince Yadav, Arshdeep Singh/Mayank Yadav
নিউজিল্যান্ড
Lockie Ferguson and Matt Henry are out of the remaining T20Is with injuries. Nathan Smith, who missed the third T20I with a 'low-grade niggle' should return to a side that conceded 199 in 13.2 overs in the previous outing. Kyle Jamieson meanwhile will feature in the Ford Trophy after having played in the third T20I against India. Smith should take his spot.
Probable XI: Tim Seifert (wk), Finn Allen, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Bevon Jacobs, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (c), Nathan Smith, Adam Milne, Jacob Duffy, Matthew Fisher
Did you know?
- India have dominated the Powerplay this series with an average Powerplay score of 85
- New Zealand seamers have an economy rate of 12.85 against India in T20Is in 2026
- New Zealand openers Tim Seifert and Finn Allen average 62.09 in wins, and 23.44 in defeats
- Mitchell Santner is the joint-highest wicket taker against India in T20Is - 30 wickets, and the only bowler with a sub-ten ER in the ongoing T20I series for the home side
What they said:
"As a management, we have spoken (about my bowling) and I have done a lot of work. Now, we have Naman Dhir in the team. He is bowling well, so there is not much use of my bowling. But behind the scenes, I am also practising. I am confident, when I get a chance, I will bowl. Right now, Naman Dhir is doing well (with the ball) in T20s." - Tilak Varma
"We're gutted for Lockie [Ferguson] and Matt [Henry]. Injuries are part and parcel of international cricket but it doesn't make it any easier when you have to miss games. Fortunately for Matt he was already going to sit out on the rest of the T20Is with an eye to his big summer schedule, and we’re hopeful he’ll still play a key role in the ODIs. I know Lockie was fizzing to play in front of a sell-out home crowd at Eden Park, but he’s determined to be back for the ODIs." - New Zealand head coach Rob Walters
