New Delhi: India captain Suryakumar Yadav said the team’s surprising team combination in the fourth T20I against New Zealand was a deliberate tactical experiment aimed at testing match situations ahead of major tournaments. Despite already clinching the five match series, India suffered a 50 run defeat at Visakhapatnam as New Zealand produced a disciplined all round performance.
India opted to go into the match with only six specialist batters, effectively playing a batter short. The move was intentional, with the team prioritising bowling depth by fielding five frontline bowlers. Harshit Rana was slotted at number seven, while Hardik Pandya, though listed among the batters, did not bowl during the match. Traditionally, India extends its batting till number eight, making the decision a notable departure from their usual strategy.
Explaining the thinking behind the move, Suryakumar said the team wanted to push itself out of its comfort zone. The idea was to simulate high pressure chases where wickets fall early and assess how the batting unit responds when chasing big totals with limited resources. He added that such challenges provide valuable learning, even if the result does not go in the team’s favour.
The captain also said the decision aligned with the team’s broader objective of giving game time to players who are part of the World Cup plans. With the series already secured, the focus shifted to preparation rather than results, allowing management to experiment without long term consequences.
India’s decision to bowl first was also part of the same mindset. Having performed strongly while batting first in previous matches, the team wanted to test its chasing ability under pressure. Suryakumar said the match offered useful insights and would help the team better understand different scenarios going forward.
New Zealand, meanwhile, welcomed the victory as a reward for persistence. Strong bowling spells and adaptability to wet conditions helped the visitors restrict India and secure a consolation win. The result highlighted the importance of assessing conditions and maintaining belief, even after earlier losses in the series.
While the experiment did not pay off on the scoreboard, India viewed the match as a constructive step in refining strategies ahead of future challenges.
