Thiruvananthapuram will host the final of the T20I series between India and New Zealand on Saturday, January 31 – serving as a final tune-up for both sides ahead of the T20 World Cup, which begins next week. Although the series is already in India’s pocket, the fifth T20I is anything but a dead rubber.
The fifth and final T20I will begin at 7 PM IST. JioHotstar will offer live streaming while Star Sports will provide telecast of the match in India.
Have suffered a 50-run defeat in Visakhapatnam on ThursdayIndia will be looking to get back to winning ways and head into the defense of their home World Cup title with momentum on their side. Conversely, New Zealand, who took their losses as a lesson, will want to make a statement before resuming their usual role as the dark horses of the tournament.
India’s Suryakumar Yadav used this series as an experimental laboratory. In the absence of Tilak Varma and Washington Sundar, the hosts were forced to chop and change to test bench strength and develop contingency options. They probably overplayed their cards in Visakhapatnam when they failed to provide a batting cushion after Ishan Kishan was ruled out of the contest on Wednesday. The team fielded only six special batsmen, which proved insufficient after New Zealand posted 215. Despite a mad six-hit display from Shivam Dube, India fell 50 runs short of the target.
With Ishan Kishan fit again, India are likely to return to the 17. The batsman underwent a lengthy practice session during India’s non-compulsory practice session at the Greenfield Stadium on Friday.
WILL SANJU FIND HIS MOJO AT HOME?
Sanju Samson hit the nets on the eve of his first international outing in Thiruvananthapuram (PTI Photo)
While Kishan has showcased his batting prowess in the three opportunities he has been given since being selected for the World Cup squad, Indian wicketkeeper Sanju Samson has lacked the fluency of his golden run during the 2024-25 season when he hit three T20I centuries in a single week.
on Friday Sanju-mania has gripped the Greenfield Stadium as the local favorite prepared for his first ever international match in Thiruvananthapuram – the very city where he took his first steps into professional cricket. The participation in the pre-match training did not surprise; dozens of journalists and TV crews flocked to the stadium to catch the hometown hero in action. Samson soaked up the atmosphere with a walk around the park before coming face to face with side-arm specialists and left-arm spinner Axar Patel. Reports at Greenfield Stadium for India’s optional practice session on Friday (Courtesy: India Today Photo)
A player who relies on rhythm above all else, Samson has struggled to find his timing since returning to the top of the order. While his partner Abhishek Sharma looked “a million bucks”, Samson looked rushed by the bowlers. In Vizag on Thursday, he was undone by Mitchell Santner’s sharp delivery that spun, beat the outside edge and crashed into the stumps. On Friday, Samson devoted 30 minutes specifically to these technical issues.
Also Read: Batting coach backs hometown hero Samson
No stage is better suited to express intent than a greenfield crowd chanting his name. Samson must now banish his inner angst and seize this last chance before the World Cup or the tournament will be looking over his shoulder at a surging Ishan Kishan.
SURYA SWEATS IT OUT
Captain Suryakumar seemed equally determined to ensure that his three thirty-plus scores in this series were just a prelude to another prolific run. After finding some relief from an extended hamstring, the skipper made the most of Friday’s optional session, tackling both pace and spin. At one point, he even faced pitching specialists who operated from center field to sharpen his reflexes against high speed.
Meanwhile, New Zealand appeared upbeat during Friday’s session following India’s T20I freight train halt in Vizag. Unlike India, the Black Caps included most of their squad, including late additions Lockie Ferguson and James Neesham.
IND vs NZ, Thiruvananthapuram: Pitch Report and Conditions
The pitch lacked grass on the eve of the match and is expected to be a ‘belter’ in line with the rest of the series. When India faced Australia here in 2023, they piled up 235 for 4 before winning by 44 runs. Expect late evening dew; the team’s first batting will probably need another 20-30 runs as insurance. The weather remains pleasant, with bright afternoon sun and no chance of rain on Saturday.
IND vs NZ, 5th T20I: Team News
India are expected to recall Ishan Kishan as another bowler, with Harshit Rana likely to drop out. The management may also rest Hardik Pandya to give fit again Axar Patel his first run since injuring his finger in the Nagpur opener. Varun Chakravarthy, a tireless presence in the nets of this series, may appear in place of Kuldeep Yadav or Ravi Bishnoi.
For New Zealand, it remains to be seen whether Neesham and Ferguson will get a competitive outing ahead of the World Cup. Both veterans joined the team midway through the tour and are nearing full fitness. Finn Allen, fresh from a brilliant Big Bash League campaign, also joined the Trivandrum ranks.
INDIA LIKELY XI: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Ravi Bishnoi, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah.
NEW ZEALAND PROBABLY XI: Finn Allen, Devon Conway, Tim Seifert, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner, James Neesham, Ish Sodhi, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy.
QUOTE CORNER
Indian batting coach Sitanshu Kotak: “Sanju is a senior player. He is very talented and has been around for a long time. He may not have scored as many runs as everyone would have liked recently, but that is the nature of cricket. You go through tough periods of scoring and then lean.”
New Zealand sailor Matt Henry: “The first few games provided great lessons. It’s never nice to be under that kind of pressure, but we knew the long-term goal was to prepare for the World Cup.”
– The end
Issued by:
Akshay Ramesh
Published on:
January 31, 2026
