After facing their first defeat of the series during the fourth match at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam, India will look to close the five-match rubber on a high in the final match in Thiruvananthapuram. With the series already in the bag, the Men in Blue were forced to make one change to their playing XI as Ishan Kishan sat out due to indignation and was replaced by Arshdeep Singh as India looked to strengthen their bowling.
India are expected to make several tactical changes as they head into the fifth T20I, with the team management likely to rotate players and test combinations ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup T20. All-rounder Axar Patel looks to feature in the final match of the series as India could consider resting Hardik Pandya to handle his workload.
Spinner Varun Chakravarthy, who was rested during the last two T20Is, has bowled regularly in the nets since the fourth T20I in Visakhapatnam and seems to be in a good rhythm. His sustained workload and acumen during training sessions could have earned him a recall for the Thiruvananthapuram clash.
Meantime, Ishan Kishan is set to return to the side after missing the fourth T20I due to injury. The wicket-keeper batsman practiced a lot before the match, spending over an hour in the nets and facing both spin and pace without interruption. His intensity during training suggests he is fully fit and ready to slot back into the starting XI.
What changes will New Zealand make?
With Kishan likely to regain his spot at No.3 and competition intensifying for a middle-order slot, India can use the final T20I to fine-tune combinations and assess depth.
In the meantime, as far as New Zealand is concernedFin Allen, who has joined the team after his time in the Big Bash League (BBL), is expected to replace Devon Conway at the top of the order. However, uncertainty remains over Michael Bracewell’s availability after he picked up a minor left calf strain while starting in the third and final ODI in Indore.
India Predicted XI for 5th T20I: Sanju Samson (week), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh
New Zealand Predicted XI for 5th T20I: Tim Seifert (wk), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (c), Zakary Foulkes, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy
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Issued by:
Rishabh Beniwal
Published on:
January 30, 2026
