Visakhapatnam, Jan 27 (.) There is a certain swagger about this Indian side at the moment, and as the fourth T20 International against New Zealand approaches, that confidence has become the dominant, and viral, storyline of the series.
India have already sealed the five-match contest by winning the first three games, but more than the results, it is the manner of their cricket that has caught the eye.
Under head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Suryakumar Yadav, this team has played with the sort of fearless intent that makes opponents second-guess their plans even before a ball is bowled. It is cricket played with clarity of thought, sharp execution, and, importantly, the belief that no target is too big and no situation too difficult.
At the heart of this narrative is Abhishek Sharma. The young opener has batted as if he has been given a simple instruction: see ball, hit ball, and hit it hard. His 84 off 35 balls in Nagpur and the breathtaking 68 off just 20 deliveries in Guwahati were not reckless assaults but calculated aggression—the kind that puts the bowling side on the back foot inside the first three overs. In old-fashioned terms, he has taken the game away early, and that has been priceless for India.
Captain Suryakumar Yadav’s return to form has added another layer to the story. After a lean period earlier in 2025, he has looked every bit the batter who can change a match in the space of two overs.
His ability to find gaps where none seem to exist has once again reminded everyone why he remains such a vital cog in India’s T20 plans. Ishan Kishan’s comeback innings in Raipur, played with freedom and confidence, has further highlighted the depth in India’s batting reserves.
What has perhaps pleased the Indian think-tank the most is the balance of the side. The middle order, with Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, and Hardik Pandya, has done just enough without being flashy, while the bowlers have operated like a well-drilled unit.
Jasprit Bumrah has led with control and intelligence, Arshdeep Singh has provided left-arm variety, and the spinners have used Indian conditions with maturity rather than mystery.
For New Zealand, the story has been very different. After a fine showing in the ODI series, they have struggled to match India’s intensity in the T20 format.
Glenn Phillips has fought hard, and skipper Mitchell Santner has shown leadership, but T20 cricket does not allow passengers, and too many of their key players have been quiet at crucial moments. In this format, hesitation is often punished, and India have done exactly that.
As the series moves to the Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA–VDCA Cricket Stadium for the fourth T20I, the match carries significance beyond another win or loss.
For India, it is about reinforcing a template ahead of a home World Cup, showing that this aggressive approach is not situational but structural. For New Zealand, it is about finding answers, and quickly.
Cricket, as always, remains a great leveller, but at this moment, India look a side in tune with the demands of modern T20 cricket. If confidence counts for anything, and it usually does, then the viral storyline of this series is simple: India are not just winning, they are making a statement.
India squad: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Shreyas Iyer, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav.
New Zealand squad: Mitchell Santner (captain), Devon Conway, Tim Seifert (wicketkeeper), Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips (wicketkeeper), Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson.
. . MI ARN