India vs New Zealand 2nd T20I: Kumar Kushagra added as Ishan Kishan ruled out with injury

The Men’s Selection Committee has added Kumar Kushagra to the squad for the second T20I against New Zealand as cover for India wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan, who has been ruled out due to a "low-grade right adductor strain", the BCCI said on Friday.

Kushagra, who is currently in Christchurch with the India A squad, will join the India squad for the second T20I, BCCI's Honorary Secretary Devajit Saikia informed in a release.

The BCCI Medical Team will continue to monitor Ishan Kishan’s progress. Ishan sustained the injury during the first T20I of the series, which India won by four wickets in Christchurch.

"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.

India’s updated squad for 2nd T20: Shreyas Iyer [C], Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson [WK], Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Tilak Varma [VC], Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Naman Dhir, Prince Yadav, Mayank Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Kumar Kushagra [WK].