🏏New Zealand vs India 4th T20I in Visakhapatnam @ 7 PM IST🏏 - Page 2

Action moves to Vizag - Three games done out of five, and India have been thoroughly dominant, taking an unassailable lead in the series. New Zealand have been left searching for answers so far and will be hoping to put on a much better show at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium.

India

India lay down a marker - India have sounded a strong warning to the rest of the world ahead of the World Cup. Getting past this side will take some doing. The Men in Blue have cruised home comfortably while chasing in the last couple of games, and in the opening match, they put up a daunting total of 238.

Amid all of this, pressure appears to be mounting on Sanju Samson after three low scores. With Ishan Kishan performing the way he has, there is a real possibility that he could open at the World Cup alongside Abhishek Sharma, with Tilak Varma pencilled in at number three, provided he is fully fit by then.

Tilak was ruled out of the first three games due to an abdominal issue and was expected to return for games four and five, but his recovery has taken longer than anticipated. As a result, Shreyas Iyer continues with the squad as his replacement, and with the series already sealed, it remains to be seen whether he gets a game. Arshdeep Singh and Varun Chakaravarthy were rested in Guwahati, and we could see more rotation from the Indian think tank as they look to manage workloads and keep players fresh heading into the upcoming global event.

New Zealand

New Zealand searching for answers - It has been a difficult series so far for the Kiwis, with results not going their way and questions beginning to pile up. They have struggled to match India's intensity, both with the bat and the ball, and will be desperate to show more fight in this game. In all three matches, early wickets in the powerplay have set them back significantly, and that is an area they will be keen to address. Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra have not made the kind of impact expected of them in this series, and their spots do appear to be under the scanner heading into the World Cup.

With Finn Allen coming off a remarkable BBL and expected to partner Tim Seifert at the World Cup, it could be possible that only one of Conway or Ravindra may feature in the final combination. James Neesham has linked up with the squad and was set to feature in Guwahati before picking up a stomach bug. If he does return, he will add valuable balance with both bat and ball. Whether it has been pace or spin, New Zealand's bowlers have found no respite against the onslaught from the Indian batters. They will need to find a way to contain this power-packed Indian batting unit if they are to stay competitive in Vizag.

What to Expect ?

In the last international game played in Vizag in December last year, India chased down 271 in an ODI against South Africa with ease, losing just a single wicket. Batting became noticeably easier under lights due to the dew compared to the daytime, a trend that was also evident during the Women's World Cup matches held here last year.

As has often been the case in this series, 7 pm starts have meant that dew has set in even before a ball has been bowled. That means the toss is not necessarily the be-all and end-all. While batting second may still hold its advantages, the side bowling first might also have to deal with dewy conditions right from the outset. Another fascinating contest awaits.

Head-to-head record.

Last 5 matches

India 5 wins

Draws 0

New Zealand 0 wins

Time For Bench Strength Test

India would be eager to get one step closer to a clean sweep but with the series already in their pocket, we can see them testing their bench strength and giving rest to stars like Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah, who would be crucial in their campaign for the upcoming edition of the T20 World Cup 2026, where the Men in Blue would be comepting as the defending champions.

Did You Know

Since the start of 2024, India have won each of the 11 T20I bilateral series they have featured in. That's the joint-longest streak alongside Pakistan (2016-18).

Nice thread

Good luck to Team india

Thank you for the tag Soni

Thanks for the tag, Soni!

Looking forward to the match. May the best team win!

Team news: New Zealand get reinforcements

Continuing with their rotation policy, India could bring back Arshdeep Singh and Varun Chakravarthy for Jasprit Bumrah and Ravi Bishnoi.

For NZ, Neesham and Ferguson could come straight into the XI, replacing Kyle Jamieson and Jacob Duffy.

Thank you Soni for the thread and for tagging me.

Best wishes to both the teams.

What did Morkel say ahead of the game

“With the 11 that we can pick on match day, we’ve got 11 match winners. Everybody has got a certain ‘X’ factor about them. They know that there’s no guarantee of being the 11. It’s about who’s suited best for the conditions and how we can help the team win at the end of the day.”

The sun beat down on the ACA-VDCA stadium at Vizag as Sanju Samson strode out for what could be described as the most scrutinized net session of his career. With head coach Gautam Gambhir positioned behind the stumps at the bowler’s end, eyes locked on every movement, every shot, every twitch of hesitation, the wicketkeeper-batsman knew the weight of expectation resting on his shoulders.

Strategic Outlook

With the T20 World Cup starting on February 7th, India is using these final matches to test their middle-order depth. Players like Rinku Singh and Shivam Dube are being given more responsibility to finish games, while the bowling department is rotating to manage the workload of Jasprit Bumrah. For New Zealand, the goal is to find a winning combination that can compete with India’s high-octane “all-out attack” strategy before the world stage beckons.

16:50 (IST) 28 Jan 2026