4th T20I Live: Will Vaibhav Sooryavanshi retain his spot?
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the fourth T20I between New Zealand and India from Eden Park, Auckland.
India's batting depth has been a major strength in the series, allowing the top order to attack without worrying too much about what follows. But with the result settled, the remaining matches offer an opportunity to test the bowling combination.
Kuldeep and Varun have yet to play against New Zealand. Kuldeep brings a proven ability to take wickets in the middle overs, while Varun offers a different challenge with his variations. Both could benefit from game time, particularly as India look to assess their options for future assignments.
Well, good news on the weather front. It had been windy and raining in Auckland, but the weather is clear for the fourth T20I.
Here is AccuWeather's forecast for Friday evening.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's explosive start to the series has strengthened his case to remain at the top, leaving India to weigh up whether to persist with the teenager or bring Sanju Samson back into the opening combination.
Sooryavanshi has given India another option at the top of the order. His 45 off 19 balls in Wellington was an innings of intent, and his partnership with Abhishek put New Zealand on the back foot before their bowlers could settle into a rhythm. Sooryavanshi and Abhishek added 113 runs in the powerplay, the most any team has scored in a powerplay in men's T20Is.
But if Kishan is declared fit, India will have to decide whether to retain the teenager or bring back Samson as an opener. Samson moved to No. 3 in Wellington to accommodate Sooryavanshi, having opened alongside Abhishek earlier in the series.
India have played three T20I matches at Eden Park in Auckland and won all three of them.
Their highest score came in January 2020 when a total of 204 was successfully chased in 19 overs. In that match, KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer hit a fifty each. Shreyas smashed 58 in just 29 balls while Virat Kohli chipped in with a 32-ball 45.
Good morning folks, in India. india have secured a 3-0 lead in the five-match series.
Is it time for Gautam Gambhir and Shreyas Iyer to test the bench strength?
The fourth T20I will be played at Eden Park in Auckland, which has shorter boundaries than most venues in New Zealand. Expect a high-scoring match as both teams are capable of flexing their muscles.
