Visakhapatnam, Jan 28 (NationPress) Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh has been included in the playing eleven as India won the toss and chose to bowl first against New Zealand in the fourth T20I at the ACA-VDCA Stadium on Wednesday.

With India already holding a commanding 3-0 lead in the five-match series, they aim for a clean sweep against New Zealand. After winning the toss, India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav announced that Arshdeep replaces wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan, who is dealing with a minor injury.

Yadav also mentioned that vice-captain Axar Patel requires additional time to recover from a left index finger injury sustained in the T20I series opener in Nagpur, with a possibility of his return in the next match in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday.

“The pitch looks promising, and we will have the opportunity to practice here later. There was considerable dew last night, and it’s slightly humid today, which we anticipate will facilitate a better batting experience in the second innings,” he stated.

“It’s crucial to maintain the positive habits we’ve developed over the past year, not just in this series. We aim to continue our good performances, learn from our previous game, and play with the intent to entertain our fans,” he added.

“This venue has a fantastic atmosphere, and I hope the players are energized for a thrilling match. The batters will have to step up in Kishan’s absence, but they should not hesitate to play aggressively. We have five solid bowling options today, so let’s see how it unfolds,” Yadav concluded.

New Zealand’s captain Mitchell Santner confirmed that pacer Zak Foulkes replaces Kyle Jamieson in the playing eleven. Meanwhile, James Neesham and Finn Allen are still not ready to return to the team.

“The wicket appears to be good once more. Dew is already present, making conditions tougher as the match progresses. We recognize the caliber of the Indian squad, as demonstrated in the first three matches,” he remarked.

“We need to improve our bowling performance. Given the conditions, we aim to set a strong total tonight. Most players are familiar with their roles, and we expect similar pitches during the World Cup,” he added.

Playing XIs:

India: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Harshit Rana, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, and Jasprit Bumrah.

New Zealand: Tim Seifert (wicket-keeper), Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (captain), Zakary Foulkes, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, and Jacob Duffy.