The final match of the five-match T20 series between India and New Zealand will be played in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday. This will be India's last match before the T20 World Cup, and all eyes will once again be on opening batsman Sanju Samson. Samson hasn't performed well in this series so far, but interestingly, he will now be playing on his home ground. India is already leading the series 3-1, so their focus in this match will be on testing combinations and fine-tuning their preparations before the World Cup.
Why is this match important for Samson?
Known for his fearless batting, Samson has been struggling to score runs in this series.
More than his form, it's his technical weaknesses that are a cause for concern, which has also affected his confidence.
He will be desperate to play a big innings before the World Cup, which starts on February 7th.
This is likely Samson's last opportunity to get back into form, as the team has Ishan Kishan as an alternative.
Changes in the batting order are unlikely.
With the World Cup in mind, India's combination is almost settled, and the team management is simply testing the bench strength. It's unlikely that there will be any changes in the batting department. The only question is whether Ishan Kishan, who missed the last match due to injury, will return. Meanwhile, Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Shivam Dube will also want to maintain their form as the coming days are crucial for the Indian team. All-rounder Axar Patel has also not played since injuring his finger in the first T20 match in Nagpur. The left-arm spinner bowled in the nets before the fourth match in Visakhapatnam. It is expected that Axar will be part of the playing XI for the fifth T20 match.
Changes are possible in the bowling department
In the fourth T20 match in Visakhapatnam, India experimented by playing only five main bowlers and did not use all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube for bowling. As seen in the previous matches of the series, India might once again make changes in its bowling department. The Indian team management might give an opportunity to mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy after resting him in the last two matches.
Probable playing XI for both teams for this match:
India: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy.
New Zealand: Tim Seifert (wicketkeeper), Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (captain), James Neesham, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi.
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