India cricket team can very well give a chance to Shreyas Iyer in the IND vs NZ 4th T20I as they aim to preserve their main stars for the T20 World Cup 2026. The Men in Blue have already sealed a series win by taking a 3-0 lead in the five-match series and hence can afford to make changes to their playing XI. While Ishan Kishan has repaid the faith of the selectors with his consistent performances, India may be looking to rest Hardik Pandya before the marquee event, in a bid to give him some rest, given that he i s injury-prone.
Predicted India playing XI for IND vs NZ 4th T20I
| Player | Role |
| Abhishek Sharma | Opener |
| Sanju Samson | Opener |
| Ishan Kishan | Batter |
| Suryakumar Yadav (C) | Batter |
| Shreyas Iyer | Batter |
| Shivam Dube | All-rounder |
| Axar Patel | All-rounder |
| Ravi Bishnoi | Spinner |
| Kudeep Yadav | Spinner |
| Arshdeep Singh | Fast-bowler |
| Jasprit Bumrah | Fast-bowler |
Iyer to get a game?
Shreyas was named a part of the IND vs NZ T20is squad as Tilak Varma’s replacement for the first three games. However, he is set to get an extended run because the BCCI’s CoE doesn’t want to rush the Hyderabad star back into action before he recovers completely. As a result, Shreyas could very well replace Hardik in the playing XI for the IND vs NZ 4th T20I, given that the team management would want to not only test Iyer’s capabilities but would also want to give Iyer a rare chance to prove himself in the shortest format of the game.
Hardik, who is India’s most-reliable bowler in T20Is, has picked up 4 wickets in this series while conceding 68 runs only. He could might as well be rested in the IND vs NZ 4th T20I in order to preserve him for the T20 World Cup.
Ishan Kishan retains spot
Ishan Kishan has been impressive since his comeback to the T20I side. He has scored 8, 76, and 28 in the last thee T20Is that he has featured in and also has the backing of India skipper Suryakumar Yadav and the team management as well. While he has been picked as India’s backup keeper-batter for the T20 World Cup 2026, he is all but confirmed to get future opportunities, thanks to his fine form.
Axar Patel is expected to return to the playing XI, given that he is a mainstay for the team in the T20 World Cup. Bumrah could very well play another game while he will be partnered by Arshdeep and Dube. Varun could continue to warm the bench while Kuldeep and Bishnoi would be the go-to spinners.
India squad
Suryakumar Yadav (C), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (VC), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ishan Kishan (WK), Ravi Bishnoi
Cricket
Predicted India Playing XI vs NZ 4th T20I: Rare chance for Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya to be rested?
