IND vs NZ 4th T20I Playing 11: All eyes on Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as India eye 4-0 lead; check playing 11, weather and pitch report

India are unlikely to make major changes to their winning combination when they take on New Zealand in the fourth T20I in Auckland, with an opportunity to extend their lead to 4-0. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma are expected to continue opening the innings after their impressive performances against the New Zealand bowling attack, while Sanju Samson is likely to retain his No. 3 position. With the series already secured, Ishan Kishan could remain on the sidelines as he continues his recovery from injury.

New Zealand, meanwhile, will be without Lockie Ferguson and Matt Henry for the contest and are likely to bring Nathan Smith into the playing XI. The hosts will hope their bowling attack can find a way to restrict the aggressive Indian openers as they look to avoid a 5-0 series whitewash.

IND vs NZ 4th T20I Playing 11 Prediction

India: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), [Shreyas Iyer] (c), Tilak Varma, Naman Dhir, Nitish Reddy, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Prince Yadav, Arshdeep Singh/Mayank Yadav


New Zealand: Tim Seifert (wk), Finn Allen, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Bevon Jacobs, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (c), Nathan Smith, Adam Milne, Jacob Duffy, Matthew Fisher

IND vs NZ 4th T20I Pitch Report

The pitch at Eden Park in Auckland offers a fairly balanced contest between bat and ball. Fast bowlers are likely to find some assistance during the initial overs, while batters will need to show patience and build their innings to post a big total.

IND vs NZ 4th T20I Weather Update

Auckland is likely to experience cool weather, with daytime temperatures ranging between 13°C and 19°C. There is a chance of rain, accompanied by southwesterly winds. Weather conditions will therefore be worth monitoring ahead of the match, as showers could potentially affect play.

India vs New Zealand 4th T20I: Key Players to Watch

Abhishek Sharma (India): Abhishek Sharma will be one of the biggest players to watch after his explosive batting performances in the series. His aggressive approach at the top of the order has put New Zealand's bowlers under pressure. He will look to continue his impressive run in Auckland.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (India): The young batter has impressed with his fearless strokeplay. He smashed 45 runs in the third T20I in Wellington and will aim to provide another strong start alongside Abhishek Sharma.

Mitchell Santner (New Zealand): New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner will have a crucial role to play with both bat and ball. He will need to lead from the front and find ways to restrict India's aggressive batting line-up.

IND vs NZ 4th T20I: Head-to-Head Record

India hold the upper hand over New Zealand in T20I cricket, having won 20 of the 34 matches played between the two sides, while New Zealand have secured 11 victories. Three encounters ended in a tie. India's dominance has also been evident in New Zealand, where they enjoy an 8-4 winning record against the hosts.