New Delhi, Oct 23 (IANS) India wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan has been ruled out of the second T20I against New Zealand due to a “low-grade right adductor strain”, the BCCI said on Friday.

Ishan sustained the injury during the first T20I of the series, which India won by four wickets in Christchurch.

The BCCI said the medical team is monitoring Ishan’s progress.

“Ishan Kishan is ruled out of the second T20I against New Zealand due to a low-grade right adductor strain, which he sustained during the first T20I of the series. The BCCI Medical Team is monitoring his progress,” the BCCI said in a statement.

In the series opener, Ishan was seen batting at No. 5 with Tilak Varma coming at No. 3. Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak while addressing batting order changes, said that the wicketkeeper-batter was dealing with a groin injury. Ishan’s absence in the second T20I may open the door for teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to get a place in the playing 11.

“There was a lot of speculation I have also seen; just because Ishan had a strain in his groin, the batting order was changed,” Kotak told reporters. “If Ishan doesn’t play, unless he recovers completely, which the medical team will advise, Vaibhav (Sooryavanshi) could definitely step in for him. He is one of the strongest contenders,” he added.

In the first T20I, India successfully chased down a target of 226, finishing with four wickets in hand and two balls to spare. However, the decision to send Tilak Varma in at No. 3 ahead of Ishan Kishan raised some eyebrows. Varma scored only 6 runs off 11 balls, while Kishan also struggled, lasting just three balls and managing a solitary run. Varma was dismissed by Michael Bracwell, while Kishan fell to Mitchell Santner.

With Sooryavanshi graduating to the senior level after setting the IPL stage and U19 cricket on fire, the Indian T20I team has found itself in a selection headache of choosing between the fiery teenager and experienced Samson at the top of the order to pair alongside the explosive Abhishek Sharma.

India have played with nearly the same teams in the recent contest T20I series against the West Indies, with the top order featuring Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and Ishan; Sooryavanshi had to warm the bench for the five-match T20I series.

The 15-year-old last played for India at the Asian Games, where he featured in both the semi-final (against Sri Lanka) and the final (against Pakistan).

–IANS

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